Nvidia clarifies OpenAI investment as ChatGPT leads AI usage

Recent developments in the artificial intelligence sector highlight both significant advancements and ongoing challenges. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang clarified on February 1, 2026, that his company has not fully committed to a $100 billion investment in OpenAI. Instead, Nvidia plans to invest "one step at a time," despite a Wall Street Journal report suggesting the deal was off. Huang affirmed his belief in OpenAI's work, even as OpenAI prepares for a potential IPO and its ChatGPT platform continues to lead consumer AI usage.

Further insights into OpenAI's internal dynamics came from Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott. An email from Scott on November 19, 2023, detailed the reasons behind the OpenAI coup. He noted that Ilya Sutskever was reportedly unhappy with Jakub Pachocki's research breakthroughs and Sam Altman's promotion of Pachocki. Sutskever also had concerns about how computing resources were shared between OpenAI's research and applied teams. Scott pointed out the OpenAI board's lack of experience, which made it easier for Sutskever to influence their decision to fire Sam Altman on November 17, leading to resignations from many researchers, including Pachocki.

Globally, educational institutions are ramping up AI training. The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority introduced a new national curriculum for data and AI on February 2, 2026, aiming to equip university students with practical skills. Similarly, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is launching a new Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence major this fall, combining computer science, psychology, mathematics, and philosophy to prepare students for high-demand AI roles.

AI is also reshaping commerce and business strategies. Balaji Balasubramanian from SAP highlighted the shift towards "agentic commerce," where AI agents assist customers in product discovery, urging brands to build strong data foundations. Founders like Rebecca Hoeft and Alex Paun are leveraging AI to analyze customer data, identify client needs, and boost sales by offering more relevant services. Raymond James predicts that the AI trend will benefit "dividend aristocrats" like Clorox and PepsiCo, as AI-driven cost savings and productivity gains spread beyond big tech to sectors like finance, transport, and industrials.

Despite these advancements, a report from Info-Tech Research Group indicates that many companies are not ready for the rapid pace of AI development. While 85 percent of organizations are exploring AI solutions, only 30 percent feel confident integrating AI into their current systems, citing challenges such as a lack of skilled AI talent and data quality issues. Meanwhile, new applications like DinoTracker, an AI app developed by physicist Gregor Hartmann and paleontologist Anthony Romilio, are proving useful in specialized fields, matching dinosaur footprints with 90 percent accuracy and potentially revising timelines for the appearance of birds.

Key Takeaways

  • Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang stated on February 1, 2026, that Nvidia's investment in OpenAI will be "one step at a time," not a full $100 billion commitment.
  • OpenAI is preparing for a potential IPO, with its ChatGPT platform leading consumer AI usage.
  • Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott's email from November 19, 2023, revealed the OpenAI coup reasons, citing Ilya Sutskever's unhappiness over Jakub Pachocki's research breakthroughs and resource allocation issues.
  • The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority launched a new national curriculum for data and AI on February 2, 2026, for university students.
  • The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is introducing a new Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence major starting this fall.
  • AI is transforming shopping into "agentic commerce," requiring brands to establish strong data foundations and integrate AI insights with backend systems.
  • Founders are using AI to analyze customer data and conversations to identify opportunities for additional sales and services.
  • A new AI app, DinoTracker, can identify dinosaur footprints with 90% accuracy, potentially indicating an earlier appearance of birds.
  • Info-Tech Research Group's report shows that 85% of organizations are exploring AI, but only 30% are confident in integrating it due to talent and data quality issues.
  • Raymond James predicts that the AI trend will boost "dividend aristocrats" by spreading cost savings and productivity benefits to various industries.

Saudi Universities Launch New AI Data Curriculum

The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority introduced a new national curriculum for data and AI on February 2, 2026. This program will teach university students across all fields practical skills in data and responsible AI use. It aims to prepare graduates for jobs in various sectors like business and healthcare. The curriculum was unveiled in Riyadh and developed with King Saud University and other partners.

UW-Whitewater Starts New Artificial Intelligence Major

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater announced a new Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence major, starting this fall. This program will prepare students for high-demand jobs in fields like data science and AI engineering. It combines computer science, psychology, mathematics, and philosophy to teach both technical and interpersonal skills. UW-Whitewater aims to be a leader in training the next generation of AI professionals.

How AI Transforms Shopping and What Brands Must Do

AI is changing how people shop, moving towards "agentic commerce" where customers use AI agents for product discovery. Balaji Balasubramanian from SAP explains that brands must adapt to this shift. Retailers need to build a strong data foundation with structured product information and semantic summaries. They also should integrate AI insights with backend systems like inventory and pricing for real-time responses. Smaller businesses can focus on making their product data machine-readable and piloting AI for tasks like demand forecasting.

Microsoft CTO Reveals OpenAI Coup Reasons

Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott's email from November 19, 2023, explained the reasons behind the OpenAI coup. Ilya Sutskever was unhappy because Jakub Pachocki was making more research breakthroughs and Sam Altman promoted him. Sutskever also had issues with how computing resources were shared between OpenAI's research and applied teams. Scott noted that OpenAI's board lacked experience, making it easy for Sutskever to influence them. The board fired Sam Altman on November 17, leading to many researchers, including Pachocki, resigning in support of Altman.

Founders Use AI to Boost Customer Sales

Founders are using AI to encourage existing customers to buy more products or services. Rebecca Hoeft, CEO of Morris Hoeft Group, uses AI to analyze customer data and conversations. This helps her identify which clients would benefit most from additional services, making pitches feel more relevant. Alex Paun of Paun Consulting uses a custom AI model to quickly understand client needs and find overlooked opportunities, which naturally leads to new sales.

Nvidia CEO Clarifies OpenAI Investment Plans

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang stated on February 1, 2026, that his company never fully committed to a 100 billion dollar investment in OpenAI. He clarified that OpenAI invited Nvidia to invest up to that amount, but Nvidia plans to invest "one step at a time." A Wall Street Journal report suggested the deal was off due to Nvidia's doubts and Huang's concerns about OpenAI's business. However, Huang denied being unhappy, affirming his belief in OpenAI and its significant work. OpenAI is also preparing for a potential IPO, and its ChatGPT leads consumer AI platform usage.

New AI App Identifies Dinosaur Footprints

A new AI app called DinoTracker can now match footprints to the dinosaurs that made them. Physicist Gregor Hartmann and paleontologist Anthony Romilio developed this tool to improve on manual classification methods. DinoTracker was trained on nearly 2,000 unlabeled dinosaur footprints, sorting them by eight key features. The app matches human classifications about 90 percent of the time. This technology confirmed that some three-toed dinosaur tracks look like bird tracks, suggesting birds might have appeared much earlier than previously believed.

Charlie Hurt Discusses AI and Economy

On February 2, 2026, FOX & Friends Weekend co-host Charlie Hurt joined Jason on a podcast. They discussed the changing American economy and the upcoming impact of artificial intelligence. The conversation also covered the importance of early work experience and their views on the minimum wage.

AI Progress Outruns Company Readiness Says Report

Info-Tech Research Group's "Applications Priorities 2026" report reveals that many companies are not ready for the fast pace of AI development. While 85 percent of organizations are exploring AI solutions, only 30 percent feel confident integrating AI into their current systems. Key challenges include a lack of skilled AI talent, data quality problems, and unclear AI strategies. The report advises companies to build strong foundations in data management and talent development. They should also start with small AI projects and gradually expand as their capabilities grow.

Raymond James Says AI Will Boost Dividend Stocks

Raymond James predicts that the artificial intelligence trend will help "dividend aristocrats" perform better. These are companies like Clorox and PepsiCo that have increased their dividends for at least 25 years. While these stocks have recently underperformed compared to the S&P 500, Raymond James believes the earnings gap with big tech companies is closing. John Lagowski, a portfolio manager, expects AI benefits to spread to other industries, leading to cost savings and better productivity. He sees good investment opportunities in financial, transport, and industrial stocks.

Sources

NOTE:

This news brief was generated using AI technology (including, but not limited to, Google Gemini API, Llama, Grok, and Mistral) from aggregated news articles, with minimal to no human editing/review. It is provided for informational purposes only and may contain inaccuracies or biases. This is not financial, investment, or professional advice. If you have any questions or concerns, please verify all information with the linked original articles in the Sources section below.

AI Artificial Intelligence Data Education Curriculum Workforce Development Job Training AI Engineering Data Science Retail E-commerce Agentic Commerce Brand Strategy Data Management Demand Forecasting Microsoft OpenAI Corporate Governance Investment Nvidia ChatGPT Consumer AI Sales Customer Engagement Business Strategy Economic Impact Company Readiness AI Adoption Talent Gap Data Quality Financial Markets Dividend Stocks Productivity Innovation Research Paleontology AI Applications

Comments

Loading...