On June 16, 2026, in Sherman, Texas, Jensen Huang—CEO of Nvidia and often dubbed the "AI emperor"—sat down with the Associated Press to discuss the sweeping impact of artificial intelligence on society. Huang’s optimism about AI’s potential was unmistakable, but he didn’t shy away from the challenges and anxieties that come with such rapid technological change. His recent whirlwind 100-hour tour in South Korea, packed with high-level meetings and ambitious announcements, only underscored the global stakes.
Huang’s message, delivered to audiences in both the United States and Korea, was clear: AI will fundamentally reshape how we live and work, but society must evolve alongside it. "AI development requires society to change as well," he told AP, adding, "Artificial intelligence will make people’s lives more convenient." According to Yonhap News, Huang likened the current moment to the dawn of the automobile—once feared and resisted for its dangers, but ultimately embraced as society adapted with sidewalks, crosswalks, and new rules to protect the vulnerable.
"When I was growing up, we used to play in the streets," Huang reminisced in his AP interview, as reported by Munhwa Ilbo. "But after cars arrived, of course, it became impossible to play in the streets." His point: new technologies force us to create new social norms. AI, he believes, is no different. The recent surge in debate about job losses and social disruption from AI proliferation only makes this adaptation more urgent. "We need new social norms," he said. "I encourage everyone to try AI directly. Just use it yourself." Blocking AI’s progress, he argued, is not the answer; instead, society must learn, adapt, and set new boundaries.
Huang’s optimism isn’t blind. He acknowledged that AI, like any transformative technology, can stoke public anxiety. For many, the expansion of data centers and the specter of automation-fueled unemployment are real concerns. Yet, he insists that AI is already helping to close the technology gap, empowering people without programming expertise to build websites, analyze complex documents, and even plan kitchen remodels. "AI allows ordinary people to perform advanced tasks without specialized knowledge," Huang explained, a point echoed by Kyunghyang Shinmun and Munhwa Ilbo. In his view, these advances democratize opportunity and support economic growth.
Huang’s arguments are not merely theoretical. During his recent visit to South Korea, he met with leaders from SK, Doosan, LG, and Naver—some of the country’s industrial giants. On June 8, at Naver’s 1784 building in Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, he and Naver chairman Lee Hae-jin announced a bold new partnership: the joint construction of a gigawatt-scale global AI factory. This facility, which will be four times the size of Naver’s largest hyperscale data center, is set to house tens of thousands of Nvidia’s latest GPUs. The plan is to start with a 55-megawatt data center in 2027, expand to 100 megawatts, and reach 200 megawatts overseas by 2028. The ultimate goal? A gigawatt-scale, globe-spanning AI infrastructure.
Naver will take the lead on construction and operation, while Nvidia’s DSX infrastructure platform and Cosmos world foundation model will be deeply integrated. Naver’s spatial modeling and street view data will help develop the "Seoul World Model," a digital twin of the city built on Nvidia’s AI. As Hanyang Economy noted, this collaboration could be a turning point for the global AI ecosystem and a major opportunity for Korea’s tech sector. Naver’s involvement in Nvidia’s Nemotron alliance and its plans to launch an AI agent platform later this year further cement the partnership’s ambition to expand from Asia to Europe and the Middle East, targeting global customers and data-hungry industries.
Industry analysts see this as a move not just to build infrastructure, but to secure valuable commercial data and develop AI models tailored to real-world needs. "It’s about what data you can collect and which companies you can serve," said Sim Woo-jung of the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade, as quoted by Hanyang Economy. The scale is unprecedented: until now, the combined capacity of Korea’s three major telecoms was just 300 megawatts. The gigawatt goal signals a new era, with the potential to attract global clients and keep Nvidia at the forefront of AI hardware and software.
Huang’s visit also had an immediate impact on daily life in Korea. Following his "Samso meeting"—a gathering with SK Chairman Chey Tae-won, LG Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, and Naver Chairman Lee Hae-jin—usage of Toss FacePay, a facial recognition payment system, surged. According to News1, payment transactions rose by 7% and the number of unique payers by 6%, particularly in convenience stores, cafes, and restaurants. The data points to growing public acceptance of AI-driven technologies in everyday transactions.
Back in the United States, Huang’s vision for AI’s future is closely tied to economic opportunity. He stressed that the success of American AI companies is already yielding tangible benefits: rising stock prices, increased tax revenue, and job creation. "These are American companies," he told AP, addressing recent proposals by former President Donald Trump for the government to acquire stakes in AI firms. Huang was skeptical of the idea. "I’m not sure what exactly they’re trying to achieve," he said. "I haven’t discussed this issue with them." Instead, he argued, the public already benefits from AI’s economic growth through the market and employment.
Still, Huang recognized the need for government oversight and safety standards in AI. "National security should always be the top priority in every technology," he emphasized, supporting the establishment of regulations and voluntary government audits for new AI models—measures recently advanced by Trump through executive orders. On the topic of export controls, such as those affecting Anthropic’s latest AI models, Huang advised that risks should be clearly specified before policies are enacted.
One major challenge, Huang repeatedly stressed, is energy. AI data centers are voracious consumers of electricity, and the U.S. energy supply chain, he warned, is not up to the task. "The U.S. is seriously lagging in energy production. We have suppressed energy production for too long," Huang told AP. He argued that only by strengthening energy infrastructure can America fully leverage its AI advantages—semiconductors, models, and infrastructure—and stay ahead of China in the global AI race. For this reason, he praised Trump’s energy policies, stating, "Regardless of political views, the president’s success is the nation’s success." He reiterated that he wishes success to any president or public official, regardless of party, because the stakes are so high for national competitiveness.
As AI continues its rapid advance, Huang’s advice is simple but profound: embrace the change, set new norms, and harness the benefits. The world may be on the cusp of an AI revolution, but, as history has shown, society’s ability to adapt will be the deciding factor. With global partnerships, ambitious infrastructure, and a focus on both opportunity and responsibility, the next chapter in the AI saga is being written right now.