Nvidia Buys AI Platform Hugging Face For $12.9bn

US chip giant Nvidia has agreed to acquire artificial intelligence developer platform Hugging Face in a deal valued at about $12.9 billion, marking one of the biggest moves yet to strengthen its position in the rapidly expanding AI industry.

Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang announced the acquisition on Thursday, saying the company had agreed to purchase Hugging Face for $12,930,300,000.

“I’m excited to announce that Nvidia has agreed to acquire Hugging Face for $12,930,300,000,” Huang said in a statement.

Uber, Wayve Begins London Robotaxi Trial

Huang said the deal would bring together Nvidia’s computing technology and Hugging Face’s large open-source AI community, creating opportunities for developers, researchers and organisations to build and deploy artificial intelligence tools more easily.

According to Huang, more than 18 million developers, researchers and creators currently use Hugging Face to share over three million AI models, 500,000 datasets and one million applications. He added that more than 200,000 companies rely on the platform to discover, assess, customise and deploy AI solutions.

“Together, we will scale Hugging Face’s platform, strengthen its infrastructure and expand access to AI for developers and institutions worldwide,” Huang said.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang speaks to reporters during a dinner with SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo and Naver founder and Chairman Lee Hae-jin at a Korean barbecue restaurant in Seoul. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP)

Huang also said Hugging Face would continue operating as an open platform for the wider AI ecosystem, adding that users would not be required to use Nvidia computing technology to build or deploy applications through the platform.

OpenAI Adds Safeguards to New Model After Hack

Founded as a platform for machine learning collaboration, Hugging Face has become a major hub for artificial intelligence development. The company hosts AI models, datasets and interactive demonstrations, serving a role similar to GitHub but focused on machine learning assets rather than traditional software code.

The acquisition strengthens Nvidia’s growing influence across the AI sector, where demand for advanced chips, computing infrastructure and development tools has increased significantly. Nvidia has become a leading supplier of processors used to train and run large AI models, while Hugging Face has built a global community around open-source AI development.

The deal is expected to deepen collaboration between hardware and software developers as companies and institutions continue to expand their use of artificial intelligence technologies.

Author

Tope Oke

Temitope is a storyteller driven by a passion for the intricate world of geopolitics, the raw beauty of wildlife, and the dynamic spirit of sports. As both a writer and editor, he excels at crafting insightful and impactful narratives that not only inform but also inspire and advocate for positive change. Through his work, he aims to shed light on complex issues, celebrate diverse perspectives, and encourage readers to engage with the world around them in a more meaningful way.