Nvidia has already committed $40B to equity AI deals this year
Nvidia remains a major investor in the AI ecosystem, investing more than $40 billion in equity investments in AI companies – and that’s just in the early months of 2026. according to CNBC.
Much of that total comes from a single bet, a $30 billion investment in OpenAI. But CNBC reports that the chipmaker has also announced seven billion-dollar investments in publicly traded companies, the most recent deals including up to $3.2 billion in glass manufacturer Corning and up to $2.1 billion in data center operator IREN.
We previously completed Nvidia’s investments in AI startups, including 67 venture deals in 2025. And according to FactSet data, it has already participated in about 20 investment rounds in private startups in 2026.
The fact that Nvidia has invested in some of its own customers has led to recurring criticism that these are circular deals that move money back and forth between the same companies.
Wedbush Securities analyst Matthew Bryson said Nvidia’s investments “fall directly into the circular investment theme”, but suggested that if successful they could help the company build a “competitive moat”.
