Nvidia developed the GeForce graphics processors that helped drive the modern artificial-intelligence boom.
Nvidia was founded in 1993 by Jensen Huang, Chris Malachowsky, and Curtis Priem. The company became strongly associated with graphics processing units, or GPUs, which were first widely used to render images and video in personal computers and games.
Because GPUs can perform many calculations simultaneously, researchers also adapted them for scientific computing and machine learning. Nvidia’s CUDA software platform, introduced in 2006, helped programmers use compatible graphics processors for general-purpose parallel computation.
The company’s products are often discussed alongside AMD and Intel, both major chipmakers. Nvidia’s distinct importance in recent AI infrastructure comes from the combination of its high-performance GPUs, networking products, and software ecosystem.