Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang told London Tech Week that artificial intelligence is the “great equalizer” as it enables individuals to interact with computers using everyday language, democratizing programming.
Historically, engaging with computing systems required learning complex programming languages and understanding intricate system design. Huang contrasted this with the current landscape, stating, “Now, all of a sudden … there’s a new programming language. This new programming language is called ‘human.’” The shift is significant as it opens up programming to a much broader audience.
The prominence of conversational AI models surged in 2022 following the introduction of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. By February of this year, OpenAI reported a substantial user base, reaching 400 million weekly active users. Platforms like ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Microsoft’s Copilot facilitate natural language interaction, allowing users to communicate with AI in a conversational manner akin to speaking with another person. This development has been pivotal in making AI more accessible.
Huang, whose company is a leading developer of advanced semiconductors and AI chips, emphasized the application of this technology in programming. He noted that while proficiency in traditional programming languages like C++ or Python is limited to a relatively small group, “everybody … knows ‘human’.” This universality is what makes AI a great equalizer in the tech industry.
“The way you program a computer today, to ask the computer to do something for you, even write a program, generate images, write a poem — just ask it nicely,” Huang explained. He highlighted the remarkable capability of AI to be programmed much like one would instruct another person. This capability is not just theoretical; it has practical applications that are being explored by various companies.
Huang provided an example of leveraging AI to compose a poem describing his keynote speech at the London Tech Week event. “You say: You are an incredible poet … And I would like you to write a poem to describe today’s keynote. And without very much effort, this AI would help you generate such a wonderful poem,” he described. He also pointed out the AI’s ability to refine its output based on user feedback. “And when it answers … you could say: I feel like you could do even better. And it would go off and think about it, and it’ll come back and say, in fact, I can do better, and it does do a better job.” This iterative process showcases the advanced capabilities of modern AI systems.
These comments from Huang align with a growing trend among companies, including Shopify, Duolingo, and Fiverr, to encourage employees to integrate AI into their workflows. Reinforcing this trend, OpenAI recently announced that it now has 3 million paying business users. The adoption of AI is becoming increasingly widespread across various industries.
Huang has consistently championed AI’s potential to enhance worker efficiency and has urged employees to embrace the technology to maintain their value in the workforce, addressing concerns about AI potentially replacing jobs. “This way of interacting with computers, I think, is something that almost anybody can do, and I would just encourage everybody to engage it,” he concluded, adding that interaction with this technology is already natural for children and will be “transformative.”
