Jensen Huang Personally Reviews Salaries of All 42,000 Nvidia Employees Every Month

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has revealed that he personally reviews the salaries of every one of the company’s 42,000 employees each month, describing the process as a cornerstone of his management style.

Speaking on the All-In podcast during an AI-focused panel discussion, Huang explained how he manages this mammoth task despite his packed schedule. Using machine learning tools and other advanced technologies, he processes monthly compensation data for all employees before making adjustments.

“I review everybody’s compensation, up to this day, at the end of every cycle. They send me everybody’s recommended comp. I go through the whole company. I sort through all 42,000 employees, and 100% of the time I increase the company’s spend on opex,” Huang said.

The tech leader also addressed speculation about a “hidden reserve” of stock options allegedly used to reward top performers. While he did not confirm such a reserve exists, Huang reaffirmed his commitment to competitive pay. “If you take care of people, everything else takes care of itself,” he said.

This approach, he noted, has been instrumental in retaining and rewarding top leadership talent. “I have created more billionaires on my management team than any other CEO in the world. They’re doing just fine. Don’t feel sad for anybody at my layer,” he quipped.

Recent market gains have proven the effectiveness of this strategy for Nvidia’s senior executives. A sharp surge in the company’s stock price recently propelled three board members into the billionaire ranks. Last year, Huang himself broke into the Forbes list of the world’s top 10 wealthiest individuals for the first time. Despite these lofty figures, he maintained that his goal is to ensure generous compensation across all levels, not just at the top.

Beyond individual salaries, Huang also spoke about the importance of investing in the right-sized, well-funded teams to drive innovation in artificial intelligence. He cited OpenAI, which began with around 150 employees, and China’s DeepSeek, which operates with a similar headcount, as examples of small but mighty teams that have achieved extraordinary results.

“That’s not a small team. That’s a good-sized team with the right infrastructure… If you’re willing to pay, say, $20 billion, $30 billion to buy a startup with 150 AI researchers, why wouldn’t you pay one?” Huang remarked.

He argued that with adequate funding and the right resources, teams of this size can “create wonders” in AI. His comments highlight a consistent philosophy—whether in building small specialist groups or managing a global workforce—Huang sees talent investment as the ultimate driver of long-term success.

From reviewing thousands of salaries each month to rewarding high-performing teams, the Nvidia chief’s approach blends technology, personal involvement, and a deep belief in the value of people. As the company continues its meteoric rise in the AI and semiconductor markets, this people-first strategy appears to be paying dividends not only for Nvidia’s bottom line but also for the people powering its success.