A CEO's Stand on Military Tech

When America goes to war, tech CEOs like Jensen Huang would rather not get a call about their tech. Huang, the CEO of Nvidia, made this point at the Milken Institute Global Conference in May 2026. He said it's not because he's indifferent, but because the decision to use his company's technology in war shouldn't be his to make. He believes that's a job for elected officials, not CEOs.

Huang's view is that an unelected executive shouldn't have the power to decide how their technology is used in military contexts. This is a narrow and specific argument, and he's not saying he's against the use of his technology in war. He just thinks it's not his call to make. He believes that if he disagrees with the government's decision, he can express his opinion as a citizen and encourage others to do the same. But ultimately, he wouldn't get in the way of the government defending the country.

Huang's position is not a blank check for the government to use his technology however they want. He believes that the government should use his technology in a constitutional and legal way, and in defense of the nation. This is a limit, not a free pass. The disagreement between Huang and Anthropic, a company he praises for its culture and values, is philosophical. They have different views on who should decide how their technology is used in military contexts. But despite their disagreement, they can still work together and be civil.

Huang's comments were made in the context of a dispute between Anthropic and the Pentagon. Anthropic has maintained restrictions on how its models may be used, including in military contexts. Huang's view is that an unelected executive shouldn't have the power to decide how their technology is used in war. He believes that's a job for elected officials, not CEOs.