Nvidia Interim CEO Colette Kress Highlights Israel's Role in AI Revolution

Nvidia's Chief Financial Officer, Colette Kress, has been appointed interim CEO following the resignation of Jensen Huang. In a 2023 interview with Globes, Kress, who has been with Nvidia for 13 years, discussed the company's deep connection with its Israeli development centers in Yokneam and Tel Aviv. She noted that the acquisition of Mellanox, an Israeli company, was one of the best in the industry, significantly enhancing Nvidia's ability to build entire data centers for clients.

Kress emphasized the importance of the Chinese market, warning that trade restrictions would have significant consequences for Nvidia and the entire industry. She also did not rule out the possibility of manufacturing at Intel's facilities. Kress highlighted her personal connection to Israel, stating, "My day starts with meetings about Israel and only then do I move on to meetings with California."

Reflecting on Nvidia's rise, Kress credited Huang's strategic vision and her own decision, influenced by her sons, to join the company when it was primarily known among gamers. She described Huang as a visionary who foresaw the potential of graphics processing units (GPUs) for data centers and AI long before it became mainstream.

Kress also addressed the AI hype, distinguishing between temporary excitement and the substantial, ongoing technological advancements. She believes the current AI revolution is just the beginning, with many applications yet to be developed that will leverage accelerated computing and AI. She dismissed concerns about a market saturation, arguing that continuous technological progress and new applications will drive demand for decades to come.