Get All Access for $5/mo

Elon Musk Praises Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's Leadership Style: 'Absolutely the Right Attitude' Huang co-founded the now trillion-dollar AI chip maker Nvidia at a Denny's in San Jose, California, 31 years ago.

By Sherin Shibu Edited by Melissa Malamut

Key Takeaways

  • Jensen Huang leads the $3 trillion tech giant Nvidia.
  • In a March talk at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, Huang said that no task is beneath him and reminded the audience that he used to wash dishes.
  • Elon Musk related to Huang's comments, writing in a Sunday post that Huang had "absolutely the right attitude."

Elon Musk thinks Jensen Huang, the 61-year-old CEO of $3 trillion AI chip manufacturer Nvidia, has "absolutely the right attitude."

Musk replied to a post on X on Sunday, highlighting a resurfaced clip from Huang's March interview at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

"No task is beneath me," Huang says in the clip. "Remember, I used to be a dishwasher. I used to clean toilets… that's life. So you can't show me a task that's beneath me."

Related: How Much Would an Early Investment in Nvidia Be Worth Now?

In the clip, Huang answers a question about why he is so engaged with employees and why he designed Nvidia to be a "flat" organization, or one with as little hierarchy as possible.

Huang further explains that if an employee reaches out to him and asks for help with something ambiguous or complicated, he will help them reason through it.

Related: Mark Cuban Extends Rare Praise to Elon Musk: 'Outstanding'

Huang co-founded Nvidia at a Denny's in San Jose, California, in 1993 at 30 years old. Fifteen years prior, he worked at that same restaurant as a busboy.

Nvidia CEO and co-founder Jensen Huang. Photographer: Annabelle Chih/Bloomberg via Getty Images

In a May CNBC interview, Huang said it was "the most extraordinary thing, that a normal dishwasher busboy could grow up to be this."

Nvidia is among the Magnificent Seven, a term that describes Amazon, Alphabet, Apple, Meta, Nvidia, Microsoft, and Tesla for their influence on the market.

As of Monday, Nvidia leads the pack in performance, with a year-to-date return of about 151%.

Related: Nvidia Long-Term Employees 'Semi-Retired' Multimillionaires

Sherin Shibu

Entrepreneur Staff

News Reporter

Sherin Shibu is a business news reporter at Entrepreneur.com. She previously worked for PCMag, Business Insider, The Messenger, and ZDNET as a reporter and copyeditor. Her areas of coverage encompass tech, business, strategy, finance, and even space. She is a Columbia University graduate.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Science & Technology

5 Automation Strategies Every Small Business Should Follow

It's time we make IT automation work for us: streamline processes, boost efficiency and drive growth with the right tools and strategy.

Business News

Former Steve Jobs Intern Says This Is How He Would Have Approached AI

The former intern is now the CEO of AI and data company DataStax.

Leadership

Visionaries or Vague Promises? Why Companies Fail Without Leaders Who See Beyond the Bottom Line

Visionary leaders turn bold ideas into lasting impact by building resilience, clarity and future-ready teams.

Marketing

5 Critical Mistakes to Avoid When Giving a Presentation

Are you tired of enduring dull presentations? Over the years, I have compiled a list of common presentation mistakes and how to avoid them. Here are my top five tips.

Side Hustle

'Hustling Every Day': These Friends Started a Side Hustle With $2,500 Each — It 'Snowballed' to Over $500,000 and Became a Multimillion-Dollar Brand

Paris Emily Nicholson and Saskia Teje Jenkins had a 2020 brainstorm session that led to a lucrative business.

Green Entrepreneur®

How Global Business Leaders Can Build a Sustainable Supply Chain

Businesses can build sustainable supply chains by leveraging technology to reduce environmental impact, optimize resources and track emissions while balancing operational efficiency and sustainability goals.