Its first chip was a flop. But Huang and his engineering team hustled to save the company, which went on to become one of the most valuable firms in the world.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang returned to China this week in a markedly more high-profile visit than before. According to the , he is expected to meet with DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng to explore the joint development of next-generation AI chips tailored for China—designed to align with export controls imposed by both Washington and Beijing.

Jensen Huang co-founded Nvidia in 1993 and has run it since, making him one of Silicon Valley’s longest-serving CEO s. He is among the most approachable—happy to entertain journalists when other tech bosses skulk behind a PR firewall—and,