Nvidia’s annual developer conference, GTC 2025, has become a record-breaking spectacle in the tech world, drawing 28,000 attendees and generating over $15.5 million in economic impact on San Jose.
The Rise of Nvidia’s A.I. Super Bowl in San Jose
A Hub for Tech Innovation and Economic Growth
During the early days of Nvidia‘s annual developer conference, the event was more akin to a science fair. However, in recent years, the gathering has become a highly anticipated spectacle in the tech world, with demand for its graphics processing units (GPUs) boosting its market cap to a staggering $2.93 trillion.
Nvidia is an American technology company that specializes in designing and manufacturing graphics processing units (GPUs) for gaming, professional visualization, datacenter computing, and artificial intelligence.
Founded in 1993 by Jensen Huang, Chris Malachowsky, and Curtis Priem, Nvidia has become a leading player in the tech industry.
The company's GPUs are used in various applications, including gaming consoles, PCs, and servers.
According to a report by Statista, Nvidia held a market share of around 80% in the discrete graphics card market in 2020.
A Record-Breaking Event: GTC 2025
This year’s event, dubbed the ‘Super Bowl‘ of A.I., saw a record-breaking 28,000 attendees, with foot traffic at the San Jose Convention Center rising from around 19,000 last year to roughly 26,000. The conference correlated to over 13,000 downtown dining visits, a more than 130 percent increase year-over-year.
The economic impact of GTC 2025 on San Jose is expected to be substantial, with estimates suggesting that the city’s largest conference since the Covid-19 pandemic will surpass last year’s figure of $15.5 million. The event has also become an increasingly incorporated spectacle, with activations such as T-shirt cannons and a Taiwanese-style night market.
The GPU Technology Conference (GTC) is an annual event organized by NVIDIA, focusing on the latest advancements in artificial intelligence, deep learning, and high-performance computing.
Held since 2009, GTC brings together experts from academia, research institutions, and industry to share knowledge and innovations.
The conference features keynote speeches, technical sessions, and hands-on workshops covering topics like AI, data science, and graphics technologies.
Attendees gain insights into the latest NVIDIA products and services, including its popular GPU chips.
A Growing Presence in San Jose
Nvidia‘s GTC conference has become a major draw for local businesses, with attendees generating significant revenue for restaurants, bars, and hotels in the downtown district. The chipmaker’s influence on the city is evident in its growing presence, with Nvidia taking over areas such as Cesar Chavez Park or the Tech Interactive museum.
While it remains to be seen whether Nvidia‘s GTC will become too big for San Jose, the city is eager to bring back the event next year. Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s CEO, has expressed a commitment to staying in San Jose, stating that ‘the only way to hold more people at GTC is we’re going to have to grow San Jose.’
Jensen Huang is a Taiwanese-American business magnate, best known as the co-founder and CEO of NVIDIA.
Born in 1963, Huang graduated from Oregon State University with a degree in electrical engineering.
He co-founded NVIDIA in 1993 with Curtis Priem, and under his leadership, the company has become a leading manufacturer of graphics processing units (GPUs) and high-performance computing hardware.
Huang is also a member of the National Academy of Engineering and has received numerous awards for his contributions to technology and business.
As the tech world continues to converge on San Jose, the city is poised to reap the economic benefits of hosting major events like GTC 2025. The event’s success serves as a testament to Nvidia‘s growing influence and its ability to drive innovation and growth in the region.
- observer.com | Nvidia’s A.I. ‘Super Bowl’ Is an Economic Boon for San Jose
