In a recent interview, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang discussed his observations of the current generation of young people. He emphasized that in this information-saturated age, many young people are forced to mature too early and bear too much reality and pressure. In the long run, this not only makes them more prone to anxiety but also gradually depletes their mental fortitude to dare to start, try, and fail. In his view, this generation is not lacking in ability or effort; what has truly been weakened is the inner optimism that sustains long-term commitment, and the crucial period of allowing oneself to "not understand so much" while still believing things will get better.
Success is not about being born confident, but about placing yourself in the long term of the future.
Huang Renxun recalled that it seemed to outsiders that Nvidia had "suddenly become popular," but he believed it was not sudden. It was just that the world "collectively shifted" around November 2023, which allowed the achievements accumulated over the years to be seen all at once.
He stated that to create the future, you must live in that future before it actually happens. He cited his own example, saying that he started promoting CUDA very early on, giving speeches at universities, research institutions, and various companies. Sometimes there were only three people in the audience, but he would still speak because he believed it would change the world.
Huang Renxun also described the key to this journey as a set of company capabilities, which is not only to invent technology, but also to turn technology into products, bring products to market, and even "invent the market as well," that is, to build an ecosystem, educate users, and prepare the world to embrace this new thing.
Should you strive at 20? Huang Renxun: Yes, but you need to cultivate mature wisdom.
When the conversation turned to "how young people can succeed," the host said, "Some people say, 'You can enjoy your 20s, or you can succeed, but you can't have both.'"
Jensen Huang revealed that he doesn't readily accept such conclusions drawn from a single statement. He cited Morris Chang, the founder of TSMC, as an example, noting that Chang remained sharp even in his 80s, and further questioned how being able to work for 50 years during one's most productive years could be a bad thing. He then directly addressed the "advantages of youth":
In their 20s, they have plenty of energy, can stay up all night, and can work long hours.
Focus, speed, and reaction time may all be faster.
But what people in their twenties usually lack is more nuanced judgment, a longer-term strategic perspective, and more mature wisdom.
He said he may not think as fast now as he did when he was 20, but he gets to the right answer faster because of accumulated patterns, wisdom, and strategic thinking.
This highlights the dilemma of this generation of young people: it's not that they don't work hard, it's that they're shouldering the world's burdens too early.
When asked, "If you could be 20 again, would you choose now or before?"
Jensen Huang replied that he would choose to "go back to his twenties in their generation." The reason wasn't nostalgia, but rather that he felt their twenties were happier, and everyone should have a period of carefree time, without having to shoulder all the world's problems from the very beginning. Furthermore, Huang doesn't believe that "having to shoulder the world's burdens from the start" is necessary.
He spoke these words with great emphasis, believing that many young people today are not inherently pessimistic, but rather become pessimistic because they see and receive too much information, are forced to "understand everything" too early, and end up "lying down too early." Huang Renxun stated that this causes people to lose something very important: their inner reserves of optimism .
He pointed out that everyone needs time to build up their "optimistic" muscle before they can face the harsh realities of the future.
Only by retaining the superpower of ignorance can we truly begin to do things.
Jensen Huang pointed out that "ignorance" is sometimes not a flaw, but a superpower. He stated that some happiness comes from not knowing, and ignorance is not just a blessing, but a superpower. Because if he had known everything back then, he would have known that building Nvidia was impossible, but he didn't know then, so he used one question to justify his decision: "How difficult?"
Later, it became incredibly difficult, but it was precisely because we took the plunge that we had the opportunity to turn the impossible into the possible. Huang Renxun further described "optimism" as an almost counterintuitive force; some people simply don't know what's impossible, so they are even more confident that they can do things better. To him, that's not naivety, but essential fuel for those who drive innovation.
The absence of a final game and the focus on simply staying on the field can actually lead to greater long-term progress.
Finally, Huang Renxun brought the "anxiety of young people" back to his philosophy of life, stating that NVIDIA doesn't have any "endgame plan." When asked about his life goals, he said he doesn't have any grand ultimate goals. His goals are more like continuing to do things, continuing to be employed, continuing to be present, doing a good job, and being surrounded by a group of very strong people to get things done together.
He emphasized that "no end" is actually a very important characteristic of Nvidia, and further stated:
"You're not sprinting towards a certain finish line, but rather focusing on long-term survival, continuously iterating and improving."
In his article "I'd Rather Go Back to My 20s," Huang Renxun discusses why waking up too early is more tiring for this generation of young people. It first appeared on ABMedia .
