Nvidia announced that one of its flagship AI conferences, GTC will be returning to Washington later this year. Unlike the last time it took place in the US capital, public perception of AI has drastically soured.
Polls show increased concern in the US about the potential impact AI will have on the labour market as well as the proliferation of noisy and electricity-hogging data centres that have a negative environmental impact.
"The leather jacket returns to Washington, DC," a social media post from Nvidia read, referring to its chief executive Jensen Huang. He has described the forthcoming GTC (GPU Technology Conference) as the Super Bowl and Woodstock of AI.
Though the company’s GTC events have occasionally been held in Washington since 2016, this will be the second time such an event in the US capital will have a keynote speech delivered by Mr Huang, who delivered a keynote during GTC for the first time back in 2025.
Mr Huang, one of the world's most high-profile AI executives, has insisted that the technology's benefits will far outweigh the negatives. He has even accused other technology executives who have expressed concerns about AI as having a "God complex".
Nvidia's GTC will take place from November 30 to December 3, weeks after the US midterm elections that will decide which party controls Congress.
Amid the souring public mood, Mr Huang has made several visits to the White House over the past year to discuss AI issues and chip export controls with President Donald Trump.
This week, Mr Huang told a business and technology conference that too many people were expressing what he described as irresponsible fears about AI.
"We have to take account for all the stupid predictions made," he said, to a round of applause.
The discussion was interrupted by a phone call from Mr Trump, whom Mr Huang put on speakerphone.
Nvidia's chief executive told Mr Trump that he "wouldn't let" irrational fears cause the US to lose what the White House has often called an AI race with China.
Critics of that stance have pointed out that Mr Huang has consistently lobbied for the US to relax chip export restrictions to China, which some say could give Beijing a helping hand in the AI race.
"Sorry, but asking Jensen Huang about AI risk is like asking [Colombian drug lord] Pablo Escobar about drug policy," said X user Jay Shooster.
Meanwhile, independent Senator Bernie Sanders said on Tuesday that he would introduce legislation calling for a pause on the pursuit of AI super-intelligence until more regulatory guardrails were established. The outspoken politician has also expressed fears about the potential for AI to wipe out jobs.
Nvidia, whose incredibly powerful GPUs, CPUs and logic board designs have largely been the backbone of rapid AI development in recent years, employs about 42,000 workers. Some people have pointed out that AI have created jobs that did not previously exist.
Others have also said that the proliferation of data centres has bolstered the need for electricians, construction workers and water experts.
For all the public pushback against AI, Nvidia's revenue has skyrocketed.
"Connect with policymakers, developers, researchers and industry partners to learn how AI is helping drive the US economy" says a description on Nvidia's GTC website, which also teases Mr Huang's keynote speech on December 1.
According to Nvidia, the multi-day event will take place at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Centre and venues across Washington.
