Nvidia introduced the CUDA parallel-computing platform in 2006. CUDA lets software developers use Nvidia graphics-processing units for general-purpose calculations, rather than limiting them to graphics rendering.
The platform became especially important for scientific computing, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Its programming model helped researchers use thousands of GPU cores for workloads that can be split into many simultaneous operations.
CUDA is closely associated with Nvidia, although the company’s chips also support other programming frameworks. A common mix-up is to treat CUDA as a type of processor; it is a software platform and application-programming interface used with compatible Nvidia GPUs.
Nvidia was founded in 1993 and became one of the world’s most valuable public companies as demand for accelerated computing and AI hardware surged. Its market capitalization reflects investor expectations about those businesses, not merely the value of its gaming products.