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

Nvidia remains a major investor in the AI ​​ecosystem, having committed more than $40 billion to equity investments in AI companies — and that’s just in these first months of 2026, according to CNBC.

A large portion of that total comes from one bet, a $30 billion investment in OpenAI. But CNBC reports that the chipmaker has also announced seven multibillion-dollar investments in publicly traded companies, most recently deals to invest up to $3.2 billion in glass maker Corning and up to $2.1 billion in data center operator IREN.

We previously rounded up Nvidia’s investments in AI startups, including 67 venture deals in 2025. According to FactSet data, it has already participated in about two dozen investment rounds in private startups in 2026.

The fact that Nvidia is investing in some of its customers has led to frequent criticism that these are circular deals that move money back and forth between the same companies.

Wedbush Securities analyst Matthew Bryson said Nvidia’s investment falls “squarely into the circular investing theme,” but suggested that if successful, it could help the company build a “competitive moat.”