Nvidia Pours $40 Billion into AI Companies in Months

Since the start of 2026, Nvidia has funneled more than $40 billion into equity deals tied to artificial intelligence companies, cementing its influence in the sector. A single massive investment of $30 billion in OpenAI accounts for the bulk of that sum, reflecting the chipmaker's drive to anchor itself at the center of the global AI ecosystem.

Beyond OpenAI, the company has announced seven separate billion-dollar investments in publicly traded firms. The most recent includes a $3.2 billion stake in Corning, a glass manufacturer, alongside a potential $2.1 billion investment in IREN, a data center operator, according to a report by TechCrunch reviewed by Al Arabiya Business.

Expanding Investment Footprint

Nvidia ranks among the most active financiers of AI startups. In 2025 alone, it participated in 67 investment rounds involving emerging companies in the field. Data from FactSet shows that since the beginning of 2026, Nvidia has already taken part in roughly 24 funding rounds for private firms.

Criticism of Circular Financing

These investments have drawn repeated criticism. Some of the companies receiving Nvidia's capital are also among its major customers, leading observers to describe the deals as a closed financial loop where money circulates among the same parties. Financial analyst Matthew Bryson of Wedbush Securities said the investments clearly fall under the concept of circular investing. He noted, however, that if these bets succeed, they could help Nvidia build a competitive fortress that rivals would find difficult to breach in the future.