“Are you coming to Computex? Will you meet the Nvidia CEO? People here in Taiwan are buzzing about him.” A hotel elevator chat between strangers captures the mood: Taipei is immersed in tech energy, and Nvidia’s leader is the city’s hottest topic. Fans chase the mystery man in the signature black leather jacket, visiting crowded night markets, dining in familiar haunts, and hoping for autographs in the flurry of excitement. At the same time, a strong rival looms: Lisa Su of AMD, a leader who could challenge Nvidia’s dominance in AI and semiconductors.
Persistent online rumors have long linked Nvidia’s CEO with AMD’s chief executive. The two are said to share Taiwanese roots, both moved to the United States during childhood, and both steered their careers toward cutting-edge chips. A climactic inquiry by Jean Wu, a Taiwanese genealogy researcher, involved extensive interviews with Huang’s relatives and a breadth of data. The result suggests a family connection: Nvidia’s chief executive and AMD’s CEO are distant relatives. In a 2020 interview, Su herself acknowledged the bond with a warm smile: “Yes, we are a distant family.”
The rivalry between Nvidia and AMD very visibly peaked at the most recent Computex fair held in Taiwan. Su delivered the forum’s opening remarks before Huang, who had headlined the previous year. This time Huang announced a two-hour showcase scheduled a day before the fair began. In response, Su took the stage with key partners to present the first AI-ready computer platforms, including collaborations with Lenovo’s executive vice president Luca Rossi and HP’s chief executive Enrique Lores. Jonney Shih, president of Asustek, called Su Taiwan’s pride during one moment of the presentations, a title often associated with Huang’s influence. The contest between the two giants centers on leading AI integration across laptops and a broad spectrum of industries, with frequent product updates that keep the competition dynamic.
Technology family lineage
Unlike the historic Adidas-Puma split born from rival brothers, Huang and Su did not know each other before reaching their current leadership roles. Huang moved to Thailand at age five, then his family sent him to the United States. He earned a bachelor’s and a master’s in Electrical Engineering from Oregon State University and Stanford University, respectively. In 1993 he co-founded Nvidia with Chris Malachowsky and Curtis Priem, beginning a journey focused on graphics processing units (GPUs).
As GPUs grew beyond graphics, engineers recognized their capacity to run complex algorithms used in modern data centers and AI systems. From a startup with $40,000, Nvidia now holds a dominant market position with substantial revenue growth that propelled its market valuation into the trillions, reshaping the landscape for AI hardware. In the first fiscal quarter of 2024, the company reported profits soaring to record levels, reinforcing its role as a major force in computing technology. Nvidia’s influence is evident in its ubiquitous logo across new products showcased at Computex, underscoring the brand’s broad adoption. Notable product announcements during the event included Blackwell Ultra AI, slated for 2025, and an AI platform project planned for 2025–2026.
Su’s path mirrors a classic American dream arc. She arrived in New York at a young age and pursued higher education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she earned bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees in Electrical Engineering. Her career trajectory began at Texas Instruments and then IBM, where she spent thirteen years in engineering and management roles. She joined AMD in 2012 as senior vice president and general manager of the computing business unit and became chief executive officer in 2014 amid a major corporate turnaround. Su is widely credited with steering AMD through a difficult period by rebuilding partnerships with leading manufacturers and embracing AI-driven performance improvements. In recent years, the company has pursued aggressive product strategies, including Ryzen AI chips that target AI-enabled laptops from major brands and collaborations with Google and other partners to extend AI capabilities across devices.
Analysts note that AMD faced a pivotal moment as it refined its product line and sharpened its competitive edge. The company has reported solid revenue growth and stock-market appreciation, reflecting strong demand for AI-enabled processors. The push to integrate AI across devices is evident in AMD’s strategy to deliver high-performance cores for laptops and data-center hardware alike, aligning with the broader industry shift toward AI acceleration. AMD’s evolution under Su’s leadership continues to influence market dynamics and strategic decisions across the chip-making landscape.