The scene unfolded at a technology fair, but it felt more like a music festival: early last month, Jensen Huang arrived in Taipei to a rock star’s welcome. A sea of cell phones towered overhead to record the CEO’s every move. Nvidia, dressed in his trademark leather jacket, was the center of attention. In the midst of the commotion, a woman opened her blouse and asked him to sign her underwear. “Are you sure this is a good idea?” Huang asked, half amused and half confused, before finally signing. A little later, he repeated the action, this time on the body of a car. The question is obvious for those who don’t follow the technology industry: who is this man who has suddenly become as popular as other tech giants like Elon Musk or Mark Zuckerberg?
Born in Taiwan in 1963, Huang could have become one of those tech entrepreneurs who remained unknown outside their circle, but he has become a symbol of success for the Asian-American community and especially for his native country. His is one of those inspiring stories of overcoming adversity that embodies the message “if you want, you can.” At the age of five, his family emigrated to Thailand, and at nine, his parents sent him to study in the United States. There, he faced bullying at school for his Asian origins and started working at 15 in a restaurant chain, washing dishes and waiting tables. After studying electrical engineering at the University of Oregon and earning a master’s degree at Stanford University, he co-founded Nvidia in 1993. The company was created to develop graphics processors that would allow for the creation of more realistic and complex images, at a time when the video game industry was taking off.
Jensen Huang in Las Vegas in 2018. MANDEL AND (AFP via Getty Images)
Leather and Artificial Intelligence
While Steve Jobs had the iPhone, and Elon Musk had Tesla cars, Jensen Huang had a harder time presenting the world with a tangible object of desire that could be associated with his personality. His focus was on graphics cards, the hidden component inside computers and video game consoles that few users even see. However, he managed to cultivate his image in the public eye in a simple way. In most of his appearances, Huang maintains the same look: dark clothes and, most importantly, a leather jacket that counters his image as a middle-aged geek. Like Jobs’ turtleneck sweater or Zuckerberg’s gray t-shirt, it became his signature style, helping him to stand out among the throng of tech entrepreneurs in California.
The strategy worked. For example, last March, Zuckerberg posted a photo on Instagram with Huang where they swapped coats. When asked by a user who didn’t know who Huang was, the founder of Meta clarified: “He’s like Taylor Swift, but in tech.” Previously, in 2021, Time magazine named him among the 100 most influential people of the year, choosing him as one of the seven who appeared on the cover. Of course, he wore his leather jacket.
Another key factor in Huang’s rise to public prominence at an age when most people are thinking about retirement is Artificial Intelligence. His company, Nvidia, was born from his fascination with images and their representation on screen, but technological advancements have put him in the perfect position to take his company to the next level. The development of applications like those created by OpenAI requires powerful processors, a need that Huang and his company quickly recognized. They shifted their focus, making their products powerful enough not just to reproduce images, but also to process large amounts of information. This makes it possible for software today to answer any question a user asks out loud, thanks in part to Nvidia’s processors.
This AI boom has made Nvidia one of the biggest tech companies today and Huang one of the richest people in the world. Earlier this year, Forbes magazine ranked him 11th on its list of billionaires, with an estimated net worth of $119 billion. This rise, combined with the recognizable image he has cultivated over the years, has led him to become a symbol of success and entrepreneurship in the United States and Asia.
Now, Huang mingles with tech giants, who treat him as an equal, like Zuckerberg with his praise, or the recent messages directed by Elon Musk on the social network he now runs, X. “He has absolutely the right attitude,” commented the founder of Tesla, sharing an interview in which Huang boasted about establishing a horizontal organization at Nvidia. “No task is too menial for me,” he said in the interview. “Remember that I have been a dishwasher, that I have cleaned bathrooms. Life is like that,” he concluded.
You can follow ICON on Facebook, X, Instagram, or subscribe here to the Newsletter.
Jensen Huang: From Dishwashing to AI Dominance
The scene unfolded at a technology fair, but it resembled a music festival. Early last month, Jensen Huang arrived in Taipei to a rock star’s reception. A sea of cell phones held aloft captured the CEO’s every move. Nvidia, dressed in Huang’s signature leather jacket, was the center of attention. In the midst of the commotion, a woman opened her blouse and requested Huang sign her underwear. “Are you sure this is a good idea?” Huang asked, half-amused, half-confused, before finally scribbling his signature. A little later, he repeated the act, this time on the body of a car.
For those unfamiliar with the technology industry, the question is clear: who is this man whose popularity rivals that of Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg?
From Humble Beginnings to Technological Icon
Born in Taiwan in 1963, Huang could have become one of those tech entrepreneurs known only within their circles. However, he has become a symbol of success for the Asian-American community and, notably, his native country. His is a classic story of overcoming adversity, a testament to the “if you want, you can” mentality. His family emigrated to Thailand when he was five and sent him to the U.S. to study at nine. He faced bullying in school due to his Asian heritage and started working at a restaurant chain at 15, washing dishes and serving as a waiter.
After graduating with an electrical engineering degree from the University of Oregon and a master’s degree from Stanford University, Huang co-founded Nvidia in 1993. The company was born to create graphic processors capable of rendering more realistic and complex images, at a time when the video game industry was booming.
Leather and Artificial Intelligence
While Steve Jobs had the iPhone, and Elon Musk had Tesla cars, Jensen Huang faced a greater challenge in presenting the world with a tangible object embodying his persona. His company’s focus was graphics cards, the often hidden components within computers and gaming consoles, seen by few users. But Huang cultivated his image in the public eye through a simple approach. He maintains a consistent look in most appearances: dark clothing and, importantly, a leather jacket that counteracts his “middle-aged geek” persona. This is reminiscent of Steve Jobs’ turtleneck sweater, or Mark Zuckerberg’s gray t-shirt, fashion choices used to establish a distinct image within the sea of California tech entrepreneurs.
This strategy has worked. Last March, Zuckerberg posted a photo on Instagram of himself and Huang swapping coats. When a user asked who Huang was, the Meta founder replied: “He’s like Taylor Swift, but in technology.” In 2021, Time magazine named Huang among the 100 most influential people of the year and featured him on the cover, naturally wearing his leather jacket.
The AI Boom
Beyond image and style, another key factor in Huang’s rise to prominence is Artificial Intelligence. Nvidia, born out of a fascination with graphics and image representation, has found itself at the forefront of a technological revolution. Developing applications like those created by OpenAI requires powerful processors, a need Huang and his company quickly recognized. Nvidia shifted its focus from simply reproducing images to processing vast amounts of information. The company’s processors are integral to the software that answers user questions when spoken aloud.
This AI boom has made Nvidia one of the biggest tech companies globally and Huang one of the wealthiest individuals. Forbes magazine ranked him 11th on its billionaires list earlier this year, with an estimated net worth of $119 billion. This upward trajectory, combined with his cultivated public image, has solidified Huang as a symbol of success and entrepreneurship in the U.S. and Asia.
Respect Among Giants
Today, Huang stands alongside the tech giants, recognized as an equal. Zuckerberg has expressed his admiration, and Elon Musk recently praised Huang on his social media platform, X. “He has absolutely the right attitude,” Musk commented, referencing an interview where Huang boasted of Nvidia’s horizontal organizational structure. “No task is too menial for me,” he said in the interview. “Remember, I’ve been a dishwasher, cleaned bathrooms. That’s life,” he concluded.