‘Complete nonsense’ — Jensen Huang rejects the need for global workers to fear AI-driven job losses, says more software engineers will be needed

TAIWAN: Artificial intelligence (AI) may be portrayed as a threat to jobs for many workers around the globe at present times, but NVIDIA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jensen Huang believes that fear is simply overblown.

Speaking at Computex 2026 in Taipei, Huang pushed back against claims that AI will lead to widespread unemployment among software engineers. He described the idea that AI is reducing jobs as “complete nonsense” and argued that the technology is having the opposite effect. Instead of shrinking workforces, companies are hiring more engineers to take advantage of AI’s growing capabilities.

Huang’s remarks coincide with a growing effort by businesses across the globe to integrate AI into products, services and daily operations, raising ongoing questions about how the technology will restructure the workforce.

AI’s profitability is making engineers more productive

Huang’s argument centres on productivity. He said software engineers who use AI effectively can now produce far more work than before. Rather than making engineers obsolete, that increase in output makes them more valuable to employers.

Huang estimated that the world’s 30 to 40 million software developers, who collectively earn around US$3 trillion (S$3.85 trillion) in annual salaries, are now generating roughly three times as much productive output with the help of AI tools.

From his perspective, higher productivity creates more business opportunities. As companies discover new products and services they can build, they need more engineers to develop and maintain them.

He suggested that employers would only reduce hiring if overall output remained unchanged. Instead, businesses are expanding because AI is allowing them to do much more.

AI has become a business tool, not just an experiment

Huang also argued that AI has reached a turning point. He pointed to the rise of “agentic AI,” systems that can perform tasks using tools such as web browsers, spreadsheets and coding platforms with limited human input. Unlike traditional chatbots that mainly answer questions, these systems can plan and carry out actions.

Such upgrades are helping companies generate revenue from AI products and services. To support his view, Huang cited data from GitHub showing that software development activity continues to rise despite rapid advances in AI.

Developers made nearly one billion software updates in 2025, while more than 36 million new developers joined the platform during the year. The figures suggest that interest in software development remains strong even as AI tools become more capable.

NVIDIA’s vision for the next generation of computing

Beyond the jobs debate, Huang used the event to unveil Nvidia’s RTX Spark AI superchip, developed with Microsoft and MediaTek.

The chip is designed to run powerful AI models directly on personal computers without requiring an internet connection. Huang described it as one of the biggest changes to personal computing in decades.

He also outlined a future where dedicated AI systems operate in homes, offices, factories and robots, helping people manage everyday tasks and work more efficiently.

The long-term impact of AI on jobs remains a subject of debate. However, Huang’s message was that workers who learn to work alongside AI may find themselves in greater demand, not less.

As companies continue to invest heavily in technology, the challenge may be adapting skills fast enough to keep pace with the changes ahead.

Read related: NVIDIA to launch its new research hub in Singapore, marking latest boost to city-state’s artificial intelligence drive