Don't Study Computer Science, Says Nvidia's $186bn CEO

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - World tech conglomerate Jensen Huang has stated that, if given the chance to return to his twenties, he would choose a different path. The billionaire, with a net worth of $186 billion (Rp3.3 trillion), said he would focus on physics instead of computer science if he were graduating high school today.

During a recent visit to China, a journalist asked Huang about his choice. He explained: ‘For a young Jensen, aged 20 and just graduated, I would likely choose physics over software engineering,’ according to CNBC International, Tuesday, 26 May 2026.

He did not elaborate on his reasoning but expressed optimism about ‘Physical AI’, describing it as the next wave in artificial intelligence.

The Nvidia CEO outlined three phases of AI development over the past 12-14 years. The first wave, Perception AI in 2012, enabled machines to recognise images through deep learning. The second, Generative AI, involves models that understand information and translate it across languages, images, and code.

The upcoming wave is Physical AI, which he described as the point where humans understand physical laws, friction, inertia, and cause-and-effect. ‘When you integrate Physical AI into physical objects called robots, it becomes robotics. This is crucial now as we are building factories across the United States,’ he said.

It is worth noting that physics is a branch of science focused on studying non-living systems, encompassing physics, chemistry, astronomy, and earth sciences.

His current choice diverges from his own academic path. Huang graduated with an electrical engineering degree from Oregon State University in 1984 at age 20. Eight years later, he earned a master’s in the same field from Stanford University. A year after that, in April 1993, he founded Nvidia, which went on to achieve massive success over decades.