Nvidia buys Hugging Face for $12.9 billion to boost open AI models

Nvidia announced on Thursday, September 2, 2026 that it will acquire AI platform Hugging Face for $12.9 billion, a sharp rise from the $7 billion valuation discussed in late-last-year talks. The deal gives Nvidia control of a hub that hosts more than 18 million users, over three million AI models and a million applications built on those models.

Hugging Face, founded in 2016 in New York by three French entrepreneurs, champions open-weight models that anyone can download, modify and reuse—contrasting with the closed systems of rivals such as OpenAI and Anthropic. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said the price is "worth every single penny" and promised the platform will stay independent, continuing to support open models across the AI ecosystem. He added that open models are vital for Nvidia’s own growth because they expand the demand for its GPUs.

For Nigerian developers, startups and tech enthusiasts, the acquisition reinforces the availability of free or low‑cost AI tools that can be adapted for local problems—from agriculture to fintech—without licensing fees. It also signals that Nvidia will likely invest more in open‑source infrastructure, which could improve access to computing resources in Africa.

Will you explore Hugging Face’s model library for your next project, consider contributing to open‑source AI, or watch how Nvidia’s backing shapes the affordability and accessibility of AI tools in Nigeria?

SOURCE: https://www.channelstv.com/2026/09/03/nvidia-to-buy-ai-platform-hugging-face-for-12-9bn/