Nvidia has already committed $40B to equity AI deals this year

Source: TechCrunch

Image Credits: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg / Getty Images

Nvidia’s AI Equity Investments in 2026

Nvidia continues to be a major investor in the AI ecosystem, committing more than $40 billion to equity investments in AI companies during the early months of 2026, according to CNBC.

Scale of Investment

• Total equity commitments: > $40 billion (early 2026)
• Largest single bet: $30 billion in OpenAI

Key Deals

Nvidia has announced seven multi‑billion‑dollar investments in publicly traded companies, including:

• Up to $3.2 billion in glassmaker Corning
• Up to $2.1 billion in data‑center operator IREN

Past Investment Activity

• In 2025, Nvidia completed 67 venture deals with AI startups (see our earlier roundup).
• FactSet data shows roughly two dozen investment rounds in private AI startups so far in 2026.

Circular Investment Concerns

Investing in some of its own customers has drawn criticism that these are circular deals, moving money back‑and‑forth between the same companies. See the discussion on the “circular money problem” at the heart of AI’s biggest deals.

Analyst Perspective

“Nvidia’s investments fall ‘squarely into the circular investment theme,’” said Wedbush Securities analyst Matthew Bryson, adding that if successful, they could help the company build a “competitive moat.”