Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang named Germany, Japan and China as the world leaders in manufacturing and advanced technology. He said, “So now the world has three leaders again. It’s Germany, Japan and China.” India did not make his list, though he previously praised the country’s potential for building AI infrastructure.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has named Germany, Japan and China as the three countries leading the world in manufacturing and advanced technology, leaving India out of his list. Huang made the remarks during a discussion with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, explaining how the global manufacturing landscape has changed over the past five decades with the rise of computing and digital technology.
“For the last 50 years, because of the current Industrial Revolution, which is computing and digital technology, the United States has largely exported its heavy manufacturing, its building, and its craft to China. So now the world has three (leaders) again. It’s Germany, Japan and China,” Times Of India quoted Huang as saying.
Why did Huang name Germany, Japan and China?
Huang's assessment is based on how manufacturing and computing capabilities have evolved across countries. He pointed out that the US had transferred a significant part of its heavy manufacturing and industrial capabilities to China over the past 50 years, helping the latter emerge as a major manufacturing power.
He also highlighted China's ability to combine industrial production with computer science, giving it an advantage over other economies.
“The advantage that China has is that they came into their industrial revolution, if you will, their economic transformation happened during precisely the time of the computer industry. They are quite computerized. China is probably the only nation today that is deep in manufacturing and deep in computer science. And very comfortable in both,” Huang said.
Does India feature on Huang's list?
No, India was not among the three countries named by Huang. His list comprised Germany, Japan and China, with the discussion focusing on countries that have developed strong manufacturing capabilities alongside computing and digital technology.
However, this does not mean Huang has overlooked India's technological potential. He has previously spoken about the country's IT capabilities and its potential to become a major player in the global AI industry.
During Nvidia's AI Summit in Mumbai in October 2024, Huang said, “It makes complete sense that India should manufacture its own AI.”
He also described India's IT and computer science expertise as an “amazing natural resource”, arguing that the country could use its talent and data resources to build its own AI infrastructure.
How have US restrictions influenced China's technology ambitions?
Huang also discussed how US export restrictions on advanced semiconductor technology have influenced China's efforts to develop domestic chip manufacturing capabilities.
He said restrictions on access to advanced processors had accelerated China's push towards building its own semiconductor industry and strengthening its domestic supply chain.
“We’ve definitely accelerated China’s initiatives, its nationalization of semiconductor manufacturing capabilities, and all of the industrial support that has been put into that sector, and so there’s no question we’ve accelerated that,” Huang said.
Despite the growing competition, Huang maintained that American technology companies were prepared to compete with businesses from other countries.
His comments come amid intensifying global competition over AI infrastructure, semiconductor manufacturing and advanced computing, with countries seeking to strengthen their domestic technological capabilities.