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Hello reader,
A few years ago, I decided to build my own computer. I had to do a ton of research on the different parts to buy, where to purchase them, and whether they were worth the price.
Because I gamed a lot, one of the most important components for me to research was the GPU. In this area, there were basically only two real options: Nvidia and AMD.
At the time, each company had just released a new line of GPU models. They were neck and neck in terms of performance and price, but I eventually went with Nvidia as its chips had a much more developed ray tracing feature.
It’s almost an entirely different story today, however – especially when it comes to AI. Nvidia is now the undisputed king in this field.
Jensen Huang, CEO of the company, has also been going around Southeast Asia to cement its dominance in the region. We’ll see how this might unfold in our premium story.
Today, we look at:
- Nvidia securing the AI crown in Southeast Asia
- NestAway Technologies facing fraud, forgery, and intimidation allegations
- Other newsy highlights such as Accel raising US$650 million for a new fund and Do Kwon getting extradited
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Touring the region
Image credit: Timmy Loen
I find it interesting how Jensen Huang has cultivated something of a rockstar status. Can you imagine any other CEO doing this? So far, he’s already toured five of Southeast Asia’s biggest economies – a good sign for AI development in these countries.
- Making my way downtown: From December 2023 to December 2024, Huang visited Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. Meanwhile, the CEOs of Apple and Microsoft only visited three countries each.
- Walkin’ fast: One of Nvidia’s key investments is in Vietnam, where the firm agreed to establish a research and development center. The move came shortly after it bought an AI startup backed by Vingroup, Vietnam’s largest private company.
- Faces pass, and I’m homebound: Nvidia appears to be looking at supplying advanced AI chips to these markets. It’s also committed to supporting local infrastructure and development, such as establishing an AI school in Indonesia.
Read more: How Nvidia’s SEA blitz can cement its AI chips supremacy
Pointing the finger
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