Hugging Face CEO vows to keep fighting for open source AI after Jensen Huang's exit

Key Points:

• Hugging Face CEO Clément Delangue expressed sadness over Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s departure, emphasizing continued commitment to open-source AI despite concerns about Nvidia's future approach without Huang's leadership.
• Nvidia announced plans to acquire Hugging Face for $12.9 billion, pending closure in the first half of 2027, amid U.S. Department of Justice inquiries into the deal's impact on AI market competition.
• Huang was a strong advocate for open source AI and open-weight models, promoting their role in accessibility, competition, and innovation, as reflected in his AI policy letter signed by major tech companies urging minimal government restrictions.
• Nvidia has actively supported open AI ecosystems, including a $6 billion deal with coding startup Poolside and recent expansions of its open-weight Nemotron model family, reinforcing its strategic focus on open-source AI development.
• The future direction of Nvidia’s open-source AI initiatives remains uncertain following Huang’s departure, prompting industry attention and calls for reassurance from key stakeholders like Hugging Face.