Nvidia, founded in 1993, became a leading designer of graphics-processing units used in artificial intelligence.
Jensen Huang, Chris Malachowsky, and Curtis Priem founded Nvidia in 1993. The company initially focused on graphics hardware for computer games, where GPUs could process many calculations in parallel and render complex images.
That parallel architecture later became valuable for scientific computing and machine learning. Nvidia’s CUDA software platform, introduced in 2006, allowed developers to use compatible graphics processors for general-purpose computing rather than graphics alone.
The company’s rise in market value accelerated as cloud providers and technology companies invested heavily in generative artificial intelligence. Nvidia designs chips and platforms, while manufacturing is largely carried out by specialist foundries. It is therefore different from a traditional fully integrated semiconductor manufacturer.