Nvidia is investing in AI startups by offering financial guarantees to help them afford expensive AI chips. In return, Nvidia gets a cut of their cloud revenue and the option to lease back unused GPUs. This strategy allows young cloud providers to finance their data centers and GPU purchases, while Nvidia reduces its dependence on big tech companies. By doing so, Nvidia is shaping the compute market and creating new opportunities for AI development. Why it matters: this move signifies a shift in the AI landscape, as Nvidia attempts to break free from its reliance on tech giants and create a more diverse ecosystem for its chips.