Nvidia's conference highlights its AI leadership and innovation

Nvidia is shifting its annual developer conference from a small academic meeting into a major event focused on artificial intelligence (A.I.). The first conference in 2009 was a low-key science fair with academic posters. Now, it is expected to attract over 25,000 attendees to a hockey arena in San Jose, California. CEO Jensen Huang, often called "A.I. Jesus," will speak about the future of A.I. The event, named Nvidia GTC, has transformed the city with its bright green and black colors. Streets have been closed, and hotel prices have surged, with some rooms costing up to $1,800 a night. Key industry figures will attend, including Michael Dell and Jeffrey Katzenberg. Ali Farhadi, CEO of the Allen Institute for A.I., highlighted Nvidia's chips as essential for A.I. development, noting the impressive technology expected at the conference. This change reflects Nvidia's growth as A.I. becomes more mainstream. The company’s value has skyrocketed to nearly $3 trillion from just $8 billion in 2009. While generative A.I. shows great potential for business and economic growth, it has also raised questions about its broader implications.