Jensen Huang Calls for AI to Empower Workers

Jensen Huang is pushing back against the view that AI will eliminate jobs.

Speaking at ServiceNow's Knowledge 2026 Conference, the NVIDIA Chief Executive Officer outlined his position on how AI tools could reshape workforce strategy. He told ServiceNow Chief Executive Officer Bill McDermott that corporate leaders needed to "use AI to do the work".

"Many people think AI will change jobs," Jensen said. "Some worry that AI will destroy jobs. But what we all need to know first is that as long as you have greater ambition than your company can currently handle, AI is currently only playing the role of creating jobs."

Infrastructure expansion fuels hiring

Jensen says employment opportunities are expanding across what he describes as the "five-layer cake" – energy, chips, infrastructure, models and applications.

"The number of jobs in the energy sector is surging," he says. "And in the semiconductor sector, we can see jobs, factories, manufacturing facilities and computer plants being built around the world. Infrastructure is also creating unprecedented jobs."

According to the Northern Virginia Technology Council and the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, a data centre of around 250,000 square feet could add up to 1,500 workers on site during construction.

McKinsey analysis found that companies will invest almost US$7tn in capital expenditures on data centre infrastructure globally. This spending pattern could show why some organisations are developing training programmes to address demand for skilled labour.

BlackRock announced in March that it would invest US$100m in the BlackRock Future Builders Initiative. The programme is designed to connect workers to skilled trades training. The company said that matching the pace of demand was "essential" for enabling economic growth.

"Remarkable growth is happening at every layer," Jensen continues. "I think the story around AI needs to be retold."

Productivity should raise workforce ambition

As businesses adopt AI tools, some are looking at ways to reduce headcount. Jensen says this approach misses the point.

"You might think of productivity as cost reduction, but I think productivity should be thought of as raising ambition," he says. "AI will help realise your ambitions faster than you ever have."

Companies that support AI adoption in their workforce will have employees who are "tremendously empowered," Jensen says. He advises that leaders need to "redeploy employees and actively utilise them".

This pattern exists within NVIDIA's workforce, with Jensen saying  that employees have been "freed" by AI adoption, allowing them to "focus on the problems they want to solve".

Jensen has advocated for AI use within NVIDIA for some time. He has criticising managers within the company who restrict AI usage within their teams.

According to Business Insider, he said in an earnings call: "My understanding is that NVIDIA has some managers who are telling their people to use less AI. I want every task that is possible to be automated with AI to be automated with AI. I promise you, you will have work to do."