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The Nvidia Way: Jensen Huang and the Making of a Tech Giant

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"[L]oaded with fascinating details about Huang’s unusual leadership style and maniacal work habits." ―Ben Cohen, Wall Street Journal "The definitive look at the most remarkable business story of this era." ―Morgan Housel, New York Times best-selling author of The Psychology of Money and Same As Ever A deeply reported business history of the chip-designer Nvidia―from its founding in 1993 to its recent emergence as one of the most valuable corporations in the world―explaining how the company’s culture, overseen by cofounder and CEO Jensen Huang, has powered its incredible success.Nvidia is the darling of the age of artificial intelligence: its chips are powering the generative-AI revolution, and demand is insatiable. For all the current interest and attention, however, Nvidia is not of our time. Founded more than three decades ago in a Denny’s in East San Jose, for years it was known primarily in the then-niche world of computer gaming. In fact, the company’s leather-jacketed leader, Jensen Huang, is the longest-serving CEO in an industry marked by near constant turmoil and failure.In The Nvidia Way, acclaimed tech writer Tae Kim draws on more than one hundred interviews―including Jensen (as he is known) and his cofounders, the two original venture capital investors, early former employees, and current senior executives―to show how Nvidia played the longest of long games, repeatedly creating new markets and outmaneuvering competitors, including the original semiconductor giant, Intel, which now finds itself well behind the upstart. Kim offers revelations at every step, among them:An authoritative, myth-busting account of Nvidia’s founding in 1993.How Nvidia managed to overcome early missteps that would have killed most start-ups.The benefits of Nvidia’s flat organizational structure, which allows even low- level employees to contribute to the direction of the company.How Jensen’s obsession with solving the Innovator’s Dilemma―the problem of an entrenched market leader falling to smaller, nimbler companies―drove him to reinvent his approach to corporate strategy.How Nvidia saw the coming AI wave sooner than anyone else, and how it bet its future on a technology that had not yet arrived. A rare view into Nvidia’s distinct culture and Jensen’s management principles, The Nvidia Way is a book for our moment as well as an instant classic of business history, with enduring lessons for entrepreneurs and managers alike. 15 illustrations Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ W. W. Norton & Company


Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 10, 2024


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Print length ‏ : ‎ 272 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1324086718


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 10


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.3 x 1 x 9.3 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #28,954 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #2 in Microprocessor & System Design #14 in Artificial Intelligence (Books) #17 in Company Business Profiles (Books)


#2 in Microprocessor & System Design:


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Top Amazon Reviews


  • Great book about management and technical practices
Format: Hardcover
One should not stop at learning technical processes but always be open to how technical change impacts society. “The NVIDIA Way” (Norton, 2025) by Tae Kim explores NVIDIA and how they turned technological success into societal change. Jensen Huang, NVIDIA’s CEO, and the longest active serving technical CEO, plays a key part in that success. The book divides into a chronological approach: before 1993, 1993-2003, 2002-2013, and from 2013 to the present. This should be essential reading for anyone managing a startup, working on product issues, and desiring a better look at the marketplace. The chronological approach is unusual as it focuses on Jensen first and then moves to the technological change. The early NVIDIA processes had setbacks and potential fails, but it is the company's structure and culture moving them forward. I do not know if all the NVIDIA successes are paths for me, but it highlights multiple paths to success. One could skip directly to NVIDIA current successes but would lose how those decisions became the organic culture. Employees often describe NVIDIA as not a 24x7 approach but a 25x8 approach, never ceasing, never stopping, and eliminating opponents by sheer hard work. There is a quote from Jensen, “Don’t worry about the score, it’s how you play the game” that resonates strongly with me. As a martial arts coach, I always tell students to seek technical perfection, and the wins will arrive in time. In boarding school, ping pong, and his undergraduate studies, Jensen’s early years show this as he excels not only at the task but earns the money to support those achievements with multiple janitorial jobs Think about character strength and resilience needed to work as a janitor in the same location one attends school. This constant resilience enabled success as NVIDA launched in later years. The company's first success was the founders departing LSI Logic to focus on graphics cards for PCs and the gaming industry. When NVIDIA first launched, the goal was for the first card NV1, to do everything from graphics to audio to processing. The computer game DOOM proved this was impossible as even excelling at graphics, it fell behind audio standards. Succeeding from the early failures required purchasing testing equipment and speeding up software development so drivers were ready at the same time as the chip. This was drastically different than other chip manufacturing companies and more in tune with a modern DevOps approach. The end result was the RIVA 128 chip. Essential NVIDIA growth depended on the “ship the whole cow” concept. This meant that chips failing high-level testing were sold at a reduced price.. Many vendors gradually reduced selling prices, but NVIDIA always believed in their value, keeping prices high. Despite selling lower quality parts at lower cost, the parts were still market leaders. This applies years later in selling advanced GPUs when linking cheaper graphics cards could perform similar functions. An example of this appears in a meeting with Steve Jobs about laptop NVIDIA chips. Steve believed the chips were overpowered for the laptops but NVIDIA engineers explained simply lowering the clock speed made the chips perform, leading to their inclusion in all systems. NVIDIA’s market growth is best tied to the GPU market. This was when research scientists realized the same technical specifications creating success for graphics could be engineered to address extremely large matrix math, with up to millions of parameters. Matrix math is a key to current machine learning and AI algorithms, even if those were not the immediate answers at the time. The first major use was life sciences, measuring protein folding and biological interaction. One key disagreement with NVIDIA strategy happened whan a scientist, Ross Walker, first using the proprietary CUDA code, wanted to purchase only commercial GEFORCE graphics cards instead of the higher-end GPUS. Despite NVIDIA introducing technical controls, Ross continued his approach even with a later career at GlaxoSmithKline. NVIDIA continued to advocate always purchasing the highest quality and, consequently, expensive models. The success continued into the modern era as NVIDIA supplies top-end solutions, emphasizing engineering first over profit-taking incentives. Jensen emphasized several approaches to focus on technical success. Even during expansion, he introduced a flat organization with all employees, sending a top five concerns to the CEO weekly. One might see this from recent news about DOGE, requesting government employees to take a similar approach. Another emphasis was all employees had to respond to any email within two hours, again hitting the 25x8 structure. A third approach was all employees were accountable for all ideas with Jensen frequently calling out individuals to defend ideas in public meetings. I do not necessarily agree with public shaming, but Jensen followed it up with the concept that no one should fail alone, encouraging others to ask for help frequently. One area where I found fault with Kim’s writing was the book becomes very disjointed in later sections. Maintaining a chronological approach creates challenges as the company expands and more areas grow rapidly. The later section might have benefited more from a functional approach from 2018 to current, highlighting marketing, product, CUDA, GPUs, and other developments separately. The chronological approach fails as these items are difficult to follow in later chapters. Overall, “The NVIDIA Way” should be a must-read for tech professionals. The essential learning points are demonstrating resilience, leading innovation, and maintaining a consistent strategic vision. Along the way, the book demonstrates how companies like Google, Silicon Graphics, and many graphics companies failed by concentrating on profit rather than technology. Jensen shows up as a unique individual, and a key behind NVIDIA’s success. I don’t think the model can be duplicated but there are several good industry lessons. The book reads quickly and I recommend it for CPOs, CTOs, and CEOs looking to grow their knowledge. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2025 by Tiny

  • The NVIDIA Way: A Blueprint for Leadership in the Age of Intelligent Innovation
Format: Hardcover
Tae Kim’s The NVIDIA Way is one of the most insightful and timely books written about modern technology leadership. For me, as an entrepreneur and long-term investor based in Princeton, the book has been profoundly meaningful. It not only deepened my understanding of NVIDIA’s extraordinary journey, but also sparked new conversations among my business partners about the future of innovation, leadership, and long-term value creation. More than a corporate story, this book illuminates the remarkable rise of Jensen Huang—arguably the most successful tech entrepreneur of our time. Few leaders have impacted global technology, industry, and society as deeply as he has. Under his vision, NVIDIA evolved from a small graphics startup facing existential challenges to becoming the defining company of the AI century, shaping fields as diverse as robotics, healthcare, climate science, transportation, and supercomputing. What makes the book so powerful is how Tae Kim explains not just what NVIDIA achieved, but how. He captures Jensen Huang’s leadership philosophy—rooted in first-principles thinking, humility, endurance, and an almost spiritual devotion to engineering excellence. These are lessons that resonate deeply with entrepreneurs like myself who build and invest for the long run. The book has had a tremendous impact on my own work and thinking. It provided a framework for understanding how to build organizations that can survive adversity, reinvent themselves, and compound strengths over decades. My business partners and I have frequently discussed the themes in this book as we work to build companies grounded in purpose, innovation, and long-term competitive advantage. The clarity of Jensen Huang’s principles—patience, technical depth, truth-seeking, and cultural integrity—has reinforced our belief that mission-driven leadership is more important today than ever. For investors, the book offers invaluable insight into how enduring value is created in the age of AI. NVIDIA’s success is not a result of luck or timing—it is the direct outcome of long-term thinking, full-stack innovation, and a culture that refuses to compromise on excellence. In an era where innovation cycles are accelerating, understanding the philosophy behind companies like NVIDIA is essential for anyone seeking to identify the next great compounding businesses. For entrepreneurs, the book is a roadmap for building a company with soul. It shows that great companies are not built by chasing trends, but by solving real problems with courage, curiosity, and integrity. Jensen Huang’s story is a rare example of how technical vision, emotional resilience, and strategic precision can come together to create world-changing impact. Tae Kim has given us not only the definitive book on NVIDIA, but a timeless guide for leaders and investors navigating the most transformative period in modern history. It is required reading for: • Entrepreneurs aiming to build lasting companies • Investors seeking long-term compounding opportunities • Students and engineers inspired by technological breakthroughs • Anyone who wants to understand the forces shaping the 21st century For me and my partners, The NVIDIA Way has become a foundational text—one that we will return to again and again as we pursue our mission in the age of AI and intelligent creation. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2025 by Amazon Customer

  • Good Summary
Format: Kindle
This is a good summary of rise of Nvidia. Although a bit technical, it is a good book to know this successful company.
Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2025 by Banele

  • Clear Summary of Jensen Huang and NVIDIA’s Success
Format: Hardcover
The NVIDIA Way is easily the best book I’ve read for getting a clear, well-structured overview of Jensen Huang’s leadership and how NVIDIA transformed itself into a near-monopoly in a market once thought impossible for any single company to dominate. This isn’t a deep technical manual or an exhaustive corporate history—if you’re looking for every engineering detail or insider negotiation, this isn’t that book. Instead, it excels as a concise yet insightful recap of NVIDIA’s rise, outlining the key strategic moves, cultural philosophies, and market forces that propelled the company from a niche graphics chip maker into a dominant force shaping AI, gaming, and data center technology. What stood out most was how the book captures Jensen’s vision, relentless execution, and ability to anticipate and adapt to market shifts before they became obvious to competitors. It also sheds light on how NVIDIA systematically built moats—through technology, partnerships, and software ecosystems—that turned what was once a fragmented industry into one where they hold commanding influence. For anyone who wants a high-level understanding of NVIDIA’s story and the factors behind its unprecedented success, this book delivers. It’s fast-paced, well-organized, and leaves you with a clear picture of how one company managed to achieve what was previously thought to be impossible. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2025 by Waylon Jacques

  • A great read with a level of detail that other books miss
Format: Audiobook
I have been reading a lot of books about the recent history of AI and this has been the most mind-blowing. It is a book about Nvidia and its CEO Jensen Huang. That aspect is very well covered, but the author goes a lot further. Most books on the subject cover the evolution of the GPT model, but in this book Mr. Witt provides much greater detail about the critical-path advances and the serendipity involved. This is the part of the history that surprised me: In 2002, Ian Buck, then a Stanford PhD student, was working on BrookGPU, an academic project to make GPUs programmable for scientific tasks. Buck’s work caught the attention of Nvidia co-founder Chris Malachowsky and CTO David Kirk. They quietly invited him to join Nvidia to see if GPUs could be programmed with a C-like language. This effort evolved into the powerhouse parallel computing platform named CUDA, released in 2006. This was a risky bet. Parallel computing had proved a dead end for decades. No one had made it work, and it was considered career self-immolation. The project was a money pit for years, and Nvidia’s board was not happy, but Huang persisted – he knew this was important. He went all in and bet the farm. Meanwhile, in 2010, Geoffrey Hinton’s lab at the University of Toronto had been experimenting with deep convolutional neural networks for image recognition – another subject area that had seen decades of failure and was a major career-ender. Hinton’s team – Alex Krizhevsky and Ilya Sutskever – noticed that the parallel nature of CUDA was ideal for training neural networks. They reached out to Nvidia but – crickets. Research grants for neural networks were nonexistent, so Krizhevsky and Sutskever emptied their own pockets to purchase two Nvidia cards and set them up in Krizhevsky’s basement apartment – at his parents’ house. The electric bills from the 24/7 training runs were enormous, and his parents were kind enough to cover those costs. Thus, the first modern convolutional neural network, AlexNet, was born. That is how it all started – two groups of people persisting in pursuing what were considered technological dead ends. There are other major milestones and pivots in the story, but that one I found the most inspiring. Back to the book review: a great tech and business book, probably the best I have read this year. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2025 by Bill Nobes

  • Great inside baseball and story telling
Format: Kindle
I've gifted this several times since I read because it's such a unique look at Jensen's 30y+ tenure and how many times NVDA has faced existential threats and changed the business. Author got some incredible inside baseball from founders (ex. Jensen wouldn't join until he had high conviction to pathway to $50m+ of sales, meetings are open and meant to help people understand decision making even if tense, Jensen can give anyone RSU grant on spot). Even the history of TSMC which isn't the focal point of the book provides unique looks at the semi industry. I loved this book and unlike a lot of other non-fiction, it felt like a chronological story with real character development that wasn't weighed down by overly dense explanations. Tae Kim has a talent for story-telling and simple explanations of complex ideas. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2025 by Ben Brostoff

  • 1/3 is good
Format: Hardcover
I finished reading it in three days, and I found the story of Jensen Huang’s early entrepreneurial days quite fascinating. There are many interesting anecdotes that really convey his influence and style. However, the later sections dive too much into the technical details of chips, and a lot of it focuses on the employees. While reading, I felt like Jensen Huang was distant and there was a lack of depth—just a bunch of employee interviews. The AI section toward the end was better. The timeline was also very chaotic, especially between 2003 and 2013, where there were frequent timeline jumps. I often felt confused and unsure about which stage the events were taking place. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2024 by edi C

  • Better than The Thinking Machine
Format: Kindle
Great job. Similar in many ways to The Thinking Machine but more objective. The Thinking Machine has a pre-conceived, biased, activist agenda, trying to mix in drama that is irrelevant to the subject, such as focusing on sexual orientation of some characters, the names of dogs, or trying to smear people who don’t share that author’s insecurity that “AI is going to kill humanity”. The NVIDIA Way is focusing more on what its title says, which is the methods that made NVIDIA what it is today. Before reading, my favored one was the Thinking Machine, and read that book first, even though I bought The NVIDIA Way months earlier. I found The NVIDIA Way better researched and more objective. The two books are structured similarly and cover the same subjects. If picking one, my vote is for the NV Way. If a fanatic enthusiast, or want more gossip and drama then read both. Still, start with the NV Way. The most orthogonal part of The Thinking Machine are the final 4-5 chapters, where that author does his best to get under the CEO’s skin, and manages to get the CEO’s frank views about AI progress, delivered in an authentic manner. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2025 by Amazon Reviewer

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