Nvidia, founded in 1993, became a market-cap leader during the artificial-intelligence chip boom.
Nvidia originally became known for graphics processing units, or GPUs, used in personal computers and video games. Researchers later adopted GPUs for highly parallel computing, making them valuable for training and running modern artificial-intelligence systems.
The company’s CUDA software platform helped developers use Nvidia hardware for general-purpose computing. Its data-center business expanded rapidly as cloud providers and technology companies invested in AI infrastructure.
Nvidia is often confused with a chip manufacturer that owns large fabrication plants. It is primarily a fabless semiconductor designer and relies on manufacturing partners for production, while focusing on chip architecture, software, and platforms.