Amid the debate over how AI will probably kill us all over the next decade (WSJ), I wanted to draw your attention to the  company that’s largely/partly driving the AI boom on Wall Street: Nvidia. The Economist has an excellent explainer piece on the giant chip company that’s bankrolling so many AI-related companies and entities around the world, including at least eight ventures in the Boston area, such as QuEra Computing and Nvidia Accelerated Quantum Center. 

The Economist piece downplays the risks of one company effectively using its incredible wealth to create long-term demand for its own products, saying such risks are ultimately the problem of Nvidia’s shareholders. But with Nvidia’s valuation now in the trillions of dollars and accounting for 8 percent of the total value of the S&P 500, I’m reminded of the old adage “When General Motors sneezes, America catches a cold.” Except the old saying is now being applied to the AI industry, propelled forward by Nvidia. And it will be more than just a mere cold if the giant AI bubble suddenly bursts.

Above: The Economist’s recent cover featuring Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang.

Update — From a Hub Blog reader: “James Witt’s ‘The Thinking Machine‘ is a must-read to understand Jensen Huang.”