EP3-37 | What Makes AI Leaders Different? The Taiwan Connection Behind Jensen Huang and the AI Boom

EP3-37 | What Makes AI Leaders Different? The Taiwan Connection Behind Jensen Huang and the AI Boom

Author: Meet Global @Business Next Media May 12, 2026 Duration: 22:51

NVIDIA GTC has outgrown the label of "tech conference" — it's now the annual convergence point of the entire AI ecosystem, where chips, software, robotics, and autonomous systems share the same floor, with an energy so dense that finding a parking spot takes two hours. In this episode, Silicon Valley-based veteran tech journalist and consultant Michelle Cheng joins host Uly fresh from GTC to give us a firsthand read on what the conference signals for the industry ahead.

Michelle traces the deep ties between Jensen Huang and TSMC founder Morris Chang, and how Jensen's visits to Taiwan consistently bring the entire AI supply chain together at what the media has dubbed the "trillion-dollar banquet." Drawing on her experience covering Silicon Valley through the optical networking era, she maps today's AI infrastructure boom against the longer arc of industry cycles — demand never disappears, it just takes time to mature. She captures the mood of GTC with a drink called "Innovation Cocktail" she picked up at an after party: a blend of excitement and anticipation that defines where Silicon Valley stands right now.

The episode closes on Jensen's own framing from the keynote — intelligence is becoming infrastructure — and Michelle's clear-eyed take: the window into the AI ecosystem is open, and the companies that find their position early tend to benefit the most when the cycle matures.

NVIDIA GTC 已經不只是一場技術研討會——它是整個 AI 產業的年度聚合點,晶片、硬體、軟體、機器人、自駕車全在同一個屋簷下,能量之強連停車位都要搶兩個小時。這集邀請長期駐點矽谷、曾創辦科技媒體矽谷辦公室的資深記者兼顧問 Michelle Cheng,從剛結束的 GTC 現場出發,帶我們感受這場盛會的真實溫度。

節目中,Michelle 從黃仁勳與台積電創辦人張忠謀的早期淵源,談到每次黃仁勳訪台召集台灣供應鏈夥伴的「兆元晚宴」,具體說明台灣在全球 AI 供應鏈中的結構性角色。她也從親身追蹤過的光纖網路世代出發,對照今天的 AI 基礎設施熱潮,指出產業週期的規律:需求從未消失,只是需要時間成熟。

Michelle 用一杯在 GTC after party 喝到、名為「Innovation Cocktail」的調酒,形容當下矽谷興奮與期待交織的氛圍,並引用黃仁勳在 GTC 的核心論點作結——「Intelligence is becoming infrastructure」,AI 生態系的入場窗口正在開啟,能早期找到自己定位的公司,往往才是下一輪週期的最大受益者。


📍 About Host: Uly Su
General Partner, Addins Venture
#CrossBorderMentor #StartupExpansion #TaiwanToSiliconValley
🌏 A cross-border mentor who supports startups in entering global markets, with deep experience in fundraising, talent strategy, and international operations across the U.S. and Taiwan.
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ulysu/

📚 Learn more about Taiwan’s startup ecosystem 👉🏼 https://meetstartup.pse.is/4jhd5u

🚀 Stay connected with Taiwan–Silicon Valley innovation via the Startup Island TAIWAN Silicon Valley Hub
Website: https://sv.startupisland.tw/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-island-taiwan-sv/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Startup-Island-Taiwan-Silicon-Valley-Hub/61586221303202/



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There's a vibrant, often overlooked ecosystem of innovation humming away on an island in the Pacific. Startup Island TAIWAN Podcast pulls back the curtain on this world, offering a direct line to the founders, investors, and technologists shaping Taiwan's future. Each episode moves beyond headlines to explore the real stories behind the region's rise in cutting-edge fields like semiconductors, AI, and biotech. You'll hear candid conversations about the journey from garage to global scale, including the pursuit of that elusive unicorn status, and how these companies are building crucial bridges to markets across Asia and the world. Produced by Meet Global at Business Next Media, this series serves as an essential audio companion for anyone curious about the business and technology landscapes being redrawn today. It’s not just about what’s being built, but about the people building it and the unique position Taiwan holds in the global chain of innovation. Tune in for grounded, insightful discussions that connect the dots between ambitious ideas, practical execution, and international opportunity.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 97

Startup Island TAIWAN Podcast
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