NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang Declines U.S. Senate AI Hearing Invitation

Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, has declined an invitation to testify at a U.S. Senate hearing on artificial intelligence (AI). Instead, he proposed inviting lawmakers to NVIDIA's headquarters in Santa Clara, California.
According to CNBC and the Senate Banking Committee, Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat, invited Huang to appear as a witness at the committee's hearing scheduled for June 11. The hearing will focus on "AI and the American Dream: Innovation, Economic Growth, and U.S. Leadership."
In a letter sent to Huang on June 5, Warren stated that attending the hearing would provide an opportunity to explain NVIDIA's stance on U.S. export control laws and its business in China. She requested confirmation of his attendance by June 8.
Huang did not accept the invitation, stating in his response that he would be unable to attend but would welcome lawmakers to NVIDIA's headquarters. He noted that NVIDIA designed, built, and delivered the first AI supercomputer to U.S. researchers a decade ago and has since supported American researchers, academia, startups, and businesses at the forefront of AI technology.
Warren expressed her disappointment with Huang's decision to skip the hearing, asserting that "the American public deserves to hear answers in a public forum" and emphasized that NVIDIA is at the center of critical questions regarding AI, economic competition, and national security. She criticized Huang for being willing to attend a dinner at former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida and visiting China while refusing to respond to congressional inquiries.
The hearing will address issues surrounding NVIDIA's AI semiconductors and its operations in China. The U.S. has been tightening export controls, citing concerns that advanced AI chips could enhance China's military and surveillance capabilities. Lawmakers are also scrutinizing the potential for NVIDIA products to be exported to China through third countries.
NVIDIA is a key player in the U.S. AI semiconductor market, while China remains a significant market for the company. Huang has previously argued that U.S. export restrictions could accelerate China's own semiconductor development and diminish the market influence of American companies.

* This article has been translated by AI.

AJP