Inside NVIDIA, the Heart of AI: Specs Comparison and Deep Ties to Japan

NVIDIA is currently one of the most closely watched companies in the technology sector. Formerly known as a graphics card (GPU) manufacturer for gamers, the company has transformed into the "heart of the AI revolution," competing for the top spot in global market capitalization. This article provides a multi-faceted look at NVIDIA's history, compares specifications of its latest products, and explores its impact on the AI industry and its surprising connection to Japan.

What is NVIDIA? Defining the AI Era

Established in 1993 by Jensen Huang and his co-founders, NVIDIA has consistently focused on accelerated computing. After introducing GeForce 256, the world's first GPU, in 1999, the company took a pivotal turn in 2006 with the launch of CUDA, its general-purpose parallel computing platform.

CUDA unlocked the massive computing power of GPUs—previously dedicated to image processing—for scientific calculations, simulations, and deep learning. This foresight positioned NVIDIA as the undisputed platform provider during the AI boom of the 2010s and beyond.

Main Product Lineup: From A100 and H100 to "Spark"

NVIDIA's strength lies in its extensive range of products spanning gaming, data centers, and edge AI. Its data center GPUs have become the industry standard for training Large Language Models (LLMs).

Currently, the high-demand "H100 (Hopper)" offers up to 30 times the AI inference performance of its predecessor, the "A100 (Ampere)." Furthermore, the "DGX Spark" announced in late 2025 packs the latest Grace Blackwell Superchip into a desktop-sized enclosure, bringing local AI development to a new level.

Impact on the AI Industry: The Strong CUDA Ecosystem

NVIDIA's strength lies not just in its hardware, but in its software ecosystem. Because AI engineers globally build on CUDA, the cost of migrating to competitor chips is extremely high, securing NVIDIA's position.

Moreover, the company is shifting from a chipmaker to a provider of "AI Factories." By integrating networking technology (via the acquisition of Mellanox) and parallel computing software, it provides the full infrastructure needed for AI development.

An Unexpected Connection with Japan

First is the relationship with Masayoshi Son, chairman of SoftBank Group. In November 2024, Jensen Huang revealed that in 2016, Son offered to finance a full acquisition and privatization of NVIDIA, which Huang declined. Had that acquisition gone through, tech history would be very different.

Furthermore, Huang highly regards Japan as a "holy land of mechatronics." He stated that Japan's robotics and manufacturing industries are key partners for "Physical AI" (AI interacting with the physical world). Collaborative efforts are underway with SoftBank to build one of Japan's largest AI supercomputers. The country's search for NVIDIA GPUs is part of a plan to remain a central player in the AI industrial revolution.

This connection goes back to the 1990s. When NVIDIA was on the verge of bankruptcy, an important figure provided capital and support. At the time, Shoichiro Irimajiri, formerly of Honda, had moved to SEGA and convinced SEGA's leadership to invest in NVIDIA. He secured an additional $5 million investment, enabling NVIDIA to develop a breakthrough chip in 1997 that saved the company and led to its 1999 IPO. Jensen Huang remains grateful to Irimajiri, expressing appreciation in recent interviews.

Conclusion: The Future of Physical AI

NVIDIA is expanding beyond the digital world to build AI that understands and controls physical environments. Its GPUs are set to power humanoid robots, autonomous driving, and smart factories. Moving beyond a core chip manufacturer, NVIDIA's quest to expand human intelligence is just getting started.

【Sources】