TAIPEI, Feb 1 — Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang on Saturday praised Taiwan’s leading chipmakers while urging them to ramp up production to meet surging global demand for artificial intelligence, wrapping up a high-profile visit to the island where he was greeted by enthusiastic crowds.
Speaking to reporters outside a Taipei restaurant after hosting what he dubbed a “trillion-dollar dinner” for key suppliers, Huang said the outlook for the year remained strong. The dinner brought together executives from companies whose combined market value runs into the trillions of dollars.
“TSMC needs to work very hard this year because I need a lot of wafers,” Huang said with a laugh, referring to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, the world’s largest maker of advanced chips used in AI applications.
He praised TSMC’s efforts, saying the company was already working “very, very hard” to meet demand. Huang added that TSMC was likely to expand its manufacturing capacity by more than 100% over the next decade, describing the planned scale-up as substantial.
TSMC Chief Executive C.C. Wei, who posed for photographs with Huang, declined to comment. Last month, TSMC said its capital expenditure could rise by as much as 37% this year to about $56 billion, with further significant increases expected in 2028 and 2029 due to AI-driven demand.
Huang, who was born in Taiwan and later emigrated to the United States, drew large crowds throughout his visit. Local media have dubbed him “the people’s dad” and closely followed his movements.
Nvidia, which Huang co-founded in 1993, became the first company last year to surpass a $5 trillion market capitalisation, cementing its central role in the global AI boom.
During his Taipei visit, Huang also flagged concerns over tight supplies of memory chips, which are critical for AI workloads. “We need a lot of memory this year,” he said, adding that pressure across the supply chain had intensified as demand surged.
The dinner was attended by around two dozen executives, including Foxconn chairman Young Liu. Foxconn is Nvidia’s largest server manufacturing partner. Huang repeatedly stepped outside to greet fans and sign autographs.
“Nvidia wouldn’t be possible without Taiwan,” Huang said. “There’s something special about this island — extraordinary technology and an incredible industrial culture. I’m really proud of Taiwan.”
Huang arrived in Taiwan from China on Thursday and is expected to depart on Monday.