Last week, I had the pleasure of attending NVIDIA’s GTC conference, hosted in Washington D.C. for the first time. It was an incredibly executed event, packed with a ton of panels, a massive showroom with companies showing off their latest and greatest use of technologies, and a universal energy and excitement about AI’s ability to bring us one step closer to a future to be excited about. Here are some of the top takeaways from the GTC:
NVIDIA News
The company had a slew of announcements it made during GTC, spanning a wide array of areas from 6G to quantum computing to AI Factories and more. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang spoke at length about these developments and what they mean for the future.
On 6G, the company announced a new platform, the Aerial RAN Computer (ARC) Pro, an accelerated computing platform to deliver the next generation of telecommunications. They are partnering with Nokia, a mobile company, where they will use this new platform to build a new suite of products running on ARC to be deployed around the world. In 2024, the company did about $19 billion euros in net sales worldwide. Additionally, the company is partnering with other companies to create the country’s first AI-native wireless stack for 6G, which will future-proof the networks for the explosion of traffic that will come through mobile networks because of AI.
Next, we heard about the latest in quantum computing, where NVIDIA unveiled its NVQLink, a high-speed interconnect linking quantum processors with supercomputers. This development is meant to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of quantum researchers at the various supercomputer labs around the country, turbocharging our research capabilities.
Jensen announced that NVIDIA formed a partnership with the Department of Energy to build 7 New AI Supercomputers right here in the United States. Additionally, in Virginia, NVIDIA is building an AI Factory Research Center to host the first Vera Rubin infrastructure, which contains the Vera super chip. It is a ton of investment in the United States meant to accelerate the next generation of computing to bring us that much closer to the future. They also made a separate announcement with Secretary Wright at the Department of Energy to build the largest AI supercomputer at the Argonne National Lab in Lemont, Illinois. The AI supercomputer will be powered by 100,000 Blackwell GPUs.
Another exciting announcement was in the realm of autonomous vehicles, where NVIDIA announced a partnership with Uber, the ride-sharing giant, to integrate NVIDIA’s latest platform, DRIVE AGX Hyperion 10, bringing another option for autonomous vehicles to the table. This will assist Uber in its efforts as it aims to expand its global autonomous fleet to 100,000 by 2027. This is an exciting development, as we have seen the promise of AVs for some time now. Every year in the U.S., tens of thousands die in motor vehicle accidents. Data from Waymo is increasingly demonstrating the safety and effectiveness of this emerging technology, and it can go a long way towards significantly reducing the number of deadly accidents happening on the road. A clear case of technology playing a key role in saving lives!
Other Takeaways
Before GTC officially kicked off, I was able to attend a preconference panel discussing a cool collaboration between a local city, Rancho Cordova, and the Human Machine Collaboration Institute and NVIDIA in an effort to future-proof the city in the age of AI. Frankly, it was such a refreshing discussion.
Normally, in conversations around AI, we are accustomed to hearing so much doomerism, wondering how technology might be to blame for any problem someone has identified. This panel was the opposite: showing how technology can be a conduit for positive change and looking to the future. Rancho Cordova is working to integrate AI in many facets of their community, connecting education, infrastructure, and small businesses to this promising technology. In embracing technology in such a fashion, Rancho Cordova is essentially future-proofing itself and creating the conditions necessary to attract business and talented individuals alike.
Every conversation during this conference was a reminder: policy is the key lever that will launch us into the Golden Age of American Innovation. The Trump administration’s AI Action Plan, unveiled in July, laid out a bold vision: build out the American tech infrastructure, drive innovation, and export American tech around the world. That administration has done plenty through its role in the executive branch to manifest that vision. However, unless Congress acts, those moves from the White House are at risk of being easily undone in a future administration.
To cement that vision, Congress needs to move on several items, and fast. We need a singular federal standard for AI model-level policy. Currently, there are over 1,100 AI-related bills introduced across the states in 2025, with nearly a quarter coming from New York, California, Illinois, and Colorado. That patchwork approach risks throttling the very innovation we need to win the AI race. Fragmentation is the enemy of progress.
It’s just as important not to neglect the foundation powering this amazing technology: energy. Whether it’s running AI models, manufacturing data centers, or holding and processing data at data centers, none of it works without abundant and reliable power. We need to unleash an era of energy abundance and tear down the federal permitting barriers that have made it nearly impossible to build. Many energy projects have been stuck in regulatory purgatory, and if we want to build again, we need to clear the runway for consistent and streamlined processes.
For me, NVIDIA’s GTC conference wasn’t just a glance into the future; it was a “the beacons are lit!” moment. America has all the talent, tools, and ambition to lead the world. Now, what we need is the policy backbone to empower us in this moment. Let’s not miss the moment. Let’s win.
