[Into the AI World] AI Market After Jensen Huang's Departure... Investment and Partnership Ecosystem Put to the Test

Customer investments and open ecosystem expansion are key variables
Interim CEO Kress has been cautious about large-scale deals
Business direction in focus at the Nov. 17 earnings announcement

With the resignation of NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, the strategy of expanding the artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem that NVIDIA has led is being put to the test. A key question is whether NVIDIA, which has broadened the AI market not only through infrastructure but also through customer investments and support for open models, can maintain its collaborative approach.

Visitors experience booths at NVIDIA AI Day Seoul 2026, held at COEX in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on the 10th. Yonhap News.

On November 13 (local time), major international media outlets reported that Huang’s absence could affect the flow of capital and the development ecosystem in the AI industry, extending beyond the question of leadership succession at NVIDIA. Bloomberg said, “Huang turned NVIDIA into an industry kingmaker overseeing an extensive network of connections among customers, suppliers, partners, and investors,” adding that “finding a successor will not be easy.” The Financial Times, citing analysts, reported that “questions remain about what will happen to the company’s many investments in the sector, various forms of financial support, and residual value guarantees.”

Behind these concerns is NVIDIA’s strategy of linking customer growth to demand for its own semiconductors. As AI companies develop models and expand data centers, demand for chips also rises. NVIDIA has therefore led the AI industry by spearheading an open ecosystem. The company’s rationale is that a diverse range of companies and developers within an open ecosystem can broaden its customer base for graphics processing units (GPUs). In particular, Huang is seen as a figure who has driven the AI development ecosystem and the funding that supports it by leading corporate investments in open-model development and directly participating in investment deals worth billions of dollars.

NVIDIA has developed its own open model, Nemotron, while also pursuing joint research with outside companies. In March 2026, it launched the Nemotron Coalition, with participants including Mistral AI and Perplexity, to share research capabilities, data, and computing resources. In August, it also announced a partnership with Apollo, BlackRock, and Brookfield to establish an AI infrastructure financing platform to support the development of infrastructure for its customers. How much the new leadership allocates to joint research and developer support is expected to be a measure of whether ecosystem expansion can be sustained.

The investment approach of the new leadership is another factor. According to The Information, a U.S. technology news outlet, interim CEO Colette Kress has put the brakes on some of the large-scale deals pursued by Jensen Huang. This has raised the possibility that market expectations for NVIDIA’s investment pace and customer support could change.

Attention is also focused on the partnerships NVIDIA has been pursuing with South Korean AI startups. At NVIDIA AI Day, held in Seoul on November 9, NVIDIA announced a sovereign AI infrastructure partnership with SK Telecom and Rebellions. At the subsequent AI Startup Forum, it also explored ways to collaborate on technology with South Korean AI startups. The key question is whether follow-up initiatives, including joint development and validation, will proceed as planned under the new leadership.

The earnings announcement on November 17 (local time) is expected to be the first test of the new leadership’s business direction. In particular, it will be important to show that the business can continue through future supply and investment plans. In a statement announcing her appointment, interim CEO Kress said, “Our focus remains on supporting our customers, partners, developers, and shareholders.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.