
AI revived San Francisco after COVID-19 pandemic, says Jensen Huang
What's the story
NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang has credited the revival of San Francisco to artificial intelligence (AI).
Speaking to Donald Trump's undersecretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jacob Helberg at The Hill & Valley Forum, Huang said a lot of people had left the city during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it's thriving again, thanks to AI.
To recall, a 2024 article by The San Francisco Standard called AI firms the "most desired tenants" of the city.
AI influence
AI companies occupy significant office space
The publication cited a report by real estate services firm JLL, noting that since ChatGPT's launch in 2022, AI companies have leased more than 1.7 million square feet of office space.
JLL's senior analyst Chris Pham predicted a continued boom in this sector, comparing it to the arrival of electricity, and not just another new industry.
Job evolution
Huang addresses job concerns related to AI
In his talk with Helberg, Huang also tackled the issue of AI affecting jobs.
He said, "New jobs will be created, some jobs will be lost, and every job will be changed."
He explained it's not AI that could take or destroy jobs but "the company and the person who uses AI that's going to take your job."