Nvidia CEO explains why wearing a watch is not advisable in the era of AI

During his attendance at the Chinese American Semiconductor Professional Association (CASPA), Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang engaged in a Q&A session and addressed various subjects raised by young professionals. Huang discussed the era of AI, offered insights on advancing one’s career in the present day, and shared his personal choice of not wearing a watch. Additionally, he emphasized his own professional journey and the steps he took to reach the CEO position at Nvidia.

Currently, Huang is the longest-serving CEO of a technology company, having served as Nvidia’s CEO since 1993 (31 years). At the CASPA session, he was asked for advice for young professionals in the dynamic and rapidly changing world of artificial intelligence. For the 60-year-old CEO, this opened Pandora’s box as he explained how his own career progressed and what helped him climb the ladder of success. He also gave one important tip for young professionals and explained why he doesn’t wear watches and doesn’t like them either.

Jensen Huang advises young professionals

Answering the question, he said, “My first job was at Denny’s and I climbed the corporate ladder at Denny’s. I started as a dishwasher, then I was promoted to busboy and then to waitress. And if I was still there, I’d be the CEO of Denny’s today.” For the uninitiated, Denny’s is an American chain of table service restaurants.

“My second job was at AMD and I loved AMD. When I was there, I worked there for two years and I loved it. And then I went to LSI Logic and loved my work there. If my colleagues hadn’t convinced me to leave the company, I’d be here today.”

If you feel that Huang is not answering the question, you are wrong. He explains, “What I mean to say is actually this: I loved every job I had, including washing dishes and cleaning bathrooms. No one cleaned bathrooms better than I did. And no one did dishes better than I did.”

He also explained his reasons for not wearing the watch. He said, “Very few people know this, but I don’t wear a watch. And the reason I don’t wear watches is because now is the most important time. Just devote yourself to this moment.”

He also recalled the best advice he ever received in his life. Huang said he got it from a gardener in Kyoto, Japan, who worked at Saiho-ji Temple, commonly known as Kokedera, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its moss collection. Nvidia’s CEO visited the shrine on a hot and humid day, where he saw a gardener cutting moss with small bamboo tweezers. When asked how he managed to take care of such a large garden with small tweezers, the gardener replied that I have a lot of time.

Huang believes this is the best career advice anyone can have in life. – Most of the time I wait for things to come to me. I rarely pursue things. I don’t have a watch, so I focus on this moment. I enjoy my work and I am the longest-serving technology director in the world, as you know”.