Technology news and discussion on TalkFuse.
Hugging Face CEO vows to keep fighting for open source AI after Jensen Huang’s exit
Hugging Face chief executive Clément Delangue said the company would continue advocating for open-source AI after Nvidia chief Jensen Huang’s departure, describing it as a “really sad day”. His statement appears intended to reassure supporters that the planned Nvidia acquisition will not halt Hugging Face’s work, amid uncertainty about how Nvidia will approach open AI without Huang’s leadership.
Nvidia announced in September that it would buy Hugging Face for $12.9 billion, and the deal is still expected to close in the first half of 2027. The US Department of Justice has made inquiries about the deal’s effects on competition, as Nvidia would gain control of a major channel for distributing AI models. Huang had publicly backed open-weight models, including in a July letter signed by 25 companies urging the US government not to over-restrict them.
In short
- Delangue says Hugging Face will keep backing open-source AI.
- Nvidia’s $12.9 billion acquisition is due to close in early 2027.
- Huang’s departure raises questions about Nvidia’s future approach.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The acquisition could give Hugging Face greater resources and reach to support open-weight AI, while the company’s CEO says its advocacy will continue. Supporters may also see Nvidia’s past backing for open models, including Huang’s public support, as grounds to hope that the deal can benefit developers and broaden access to AI.
The case against
Hugging Face’s independence and its role as a major model-distribution channel could be weakened under Nvidia ownership, especially if the company’s priorities change after Huang’s departure. Those concerned about competition may argue that Nvidia’s control of both important AI infrastructure and a prominent platform for models could narrow choices for developers and concentrate influence over the ecosystem.
Explained simply
Hugging Face is a company that hosts and distributes AI models and tools, many of which can be downloaded and adapted by others. These are often called open-weight models because their trained parameters are available for people to use, though access does not always mean every part of a model is open.
Nvidia, led by Jensen Huang until his departure, makes the chips widely used to develop and run AI systems. It announced plans to buy Hugging Face, a deal that would put a major model-sharing platform under the control of a leading AI hardware company.
The proposed purchase has drawn attention from US competition authorities because of Nvidia’s position in the AI industry and Hugging Face’s role in distributing models. How the companies handle openness could affect researchers, developers and businesses that rely on downloadable AI models.
AI Business Companies Technology