Viewpoint: After Jensen Huang's absence, customers accelerate the evaluation of AMD and Google chips

Semiconductor analyst Jukan forwarded a report from The Information and commented that an executive from a cloud provider purchasing NVIDIA chips stated that the uncertainty surrounding Jensen Huang is prompting the company to seriously evaluate other chip options, including products from Google and AMD. The executive mentioned that the company had previously considered diversifying to reduce dependence on NVIDIA hardware but refrained due to concerns about offending Jensen Huang; now there is greater worry that his absence could affect the quality and roadmap of future generations of NVIDIA chips, as he plays a crucial role in the company's technology and customer relationships.

Jukan pointed out that preventing major customers from further diversifying to other chip manufacturers' AI servers will be one of the key challenges faced by interim CEO Colette Kress and her future official successor. Several customers also indicated that, at least in the short term, NVIDIA chips are still expected to be in short supply, and changes in the management team will not alter the market's perception of its AI server chips as "industry best." Additionally, Kress will need to manage the company's relationships in Washington, where Jensen Huang previously had a close relationship with Trump and actively promoted adjustments to export restrictions to China, but at the same time, he also made enemies in Washington, with some describing his style as combative and feeling pressured. Jukan believes that the uncertainty in leadership is beginning to loosen NVIDIA's lock-in effect on the customer side.