Trump Roasts Nvidia CEO Over Speakerphone Fumble | Tech News

The All-In Summit tech conference in Los Angeles delivered an unscripted comedy moment when Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's phone rang in the middle of a panel discussion. The caller? President Donald Trump. Huang answered and put the call on speakerphone in front of thousands of attendees.

Trump opened by declaring that theories about AI dangers and opposition to building data centers are "a scam." As Huang nodded in agreement, he frantically tried to turn off the speakerphone. Trump seized the moment to crack a joke at the CEO's expense: Huang knows how to manufacture chips no one can copy for a decade, the president quipped, but can't figure out how to turn off a speakerphone.

The audience erupted in laughter. The exchange quickly racked up millions of views online.

Trump went on to argue that voices opposing data center construction are part of a conspiracy, adding that China is the happiest beneficiary of such opposition. Data centers, he said, can enrich citizens and nations alike, they're the oil of the coming decades, bigger than the internet. Anyone opposing them is playing into the hands of others, "maybe politicians, maybe the Chinese," Trump said, with Huang agreeing and saying there should be no cooperation with such efforts.

The president then claimed that robots or AI will not take over the world, calling the whole narrative a hoax. He mentioned his uncle, a professor at MIT for over 40 years, and said that thanks to his genetics, he understands AI. He then shifted tone, saying it must be done with extreme caution but the entire industry shouldn't be stopped. He repeated the maxim that whoever wins in AI will win everything.

Near the end, Trump praised Huang and businessman David Sacks for their work, claiming the United States is receiving $20 trillion in investment, compared to just one trillion during the Biden era. Huang wrapped up the call by promising that America will win the AI race in every industry, company, and country.

Huang began his career as a dishwasher at Denny's before founding Nvidia in 1993 and turning it into one of the world's leading chip and AI companies.

The exchange comes against the backdrop of an unusual wave of warnings about AI dangers sweeping the United States in recent days. Tech industry researchers, executives at major corporations, and public figures have been cautioning that the rapid development of advanced systems could spiral out of control.