Nvidia is heavily investing in the AI sector, committing over $40 billion to equity investments in AI companies in the early months of 2026, as reported by CNBC.
The majority of this investment comes from a single $30 billion bet on OpenAI. Additionally, the chipmaker has made seven multi-billion dollar investments in publicly traded companies, including recent deals of up to $3.2 billion in Corning and up to $2.1 billion in IREN.
Previously, we detailed Nvidia’s AI startup investments, which included 67 venture deals in 2025. FactSet data shows it’s participated in around two dozen private startup investment rounds in 2026.
Nvidia’s investments in its own customers have led to criticisms of “circular deals.” Wedbush Securities analyst Matthew Bryson noted these investments align with the circular investment theme but suggested they could help Nvidia establish a competitive advantage.