Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang claimed that he has created more billionaires in his management team than any other chief executive in the world. Speaking at an event hosted by the All-In Podcast and the Hill and Valley Forum, a consortium of tech leaders and lawmakers, Huang discussed the extraordinary financial success of his leadership team and the broader implications of AI-led innovation.
“Don’t feel sad for anybody at my layer,” Huang said in response to a question about compensation and rewards in the AI ecosystem. “They’re doing just fine. I’ve created more billionaires on my management team than any CEO in the world.”
However, Huang’s central message was not about money but the immense power of compact, focused teams. He highlighted how small but well-resourced groups of AI researchers can have outsized influence on the future of technology.
Huang on OpenAI and DeepSeek
Referencing OpenAI and DeepSeek both of which began with around 150 researchers—Huang argued that a mid-sized team with strong infrastructure and funding can generate massive value. “If you’re willing to pay $20 billion or $30 billion to buy a startup with 150 AI researchers,” he said, “why wouldn’t you just pay one?”
He added that such teams, when structured well and given the right backing, can build companies that rival the biggest players in the AI world today.
AI skills in demand
The discussion also touched upon the staggering salaries and stock options being offered to top AI researchers in today’s market. Venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya noted that tech compensation has now outpaced even top-tier sports contracts. “It used to be NBA players signing $300 million contracts; now it’s model researchers,” he remarked. He also cited a report of Meta offering a billion-dollar contract over four years to a single researcher.
This shift, according to Huang, is reflective of how crucial AI expertise has become. The people powering these innovations are no longer behind-the-scenes engineers they’re the main act.
In a revelation that sets him apart from many in the corporate world, Huang shared that he still personally reviews employee compensation at Nvidia for all 42,000 staff members. Using machine learning tools, he said he combs through the company’s compensation structure to ensure fairness and performance-based rewards.
“100% of the time, I’ve increased the company’s spend on operating expenses,” he said, emphasising his belief that investing in people always yields returns. “You take care of people, everything else takes care of itself.”
