Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

Free Materials For ESL Teachers and Learners

English Newsroom

Learn English through news articles - complete lesson plans, including articles, listening, classroom activities, quiz questions and more!

Nvidia CEO confident in AI safety, despite controversies

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang expresses confidence in AI safety and highlights collaboration with Singapore government.
   

        Try this article at a different level? 
        Level 1 
        Level 2
        Level 4
   

 

The CEO of Nvidia, Jensen Huang, thinks that Artificial Intelligence (AI) development is safe. Even though some people are debating the ethics of AI, Huang believes that professionals all over the world will work together to keep it safe. Recently, there was a controversy with OpenAI, a big AI company, which showed how commercial competition can affect the development of AI systems. But Microsoft, one of Nvidia’s main investors, said that the disagreement wasn’t about safety. Nvidia’s AI chips are in high demand, which has made the company more valuable.

Even though a Chinese company called Huawei has also started making AI chips, Huang isn’t worried about the competition. He thinks that competition is good because it helps technology improve and makes a positive impact on society. Right now, Nvidia controls more than 90% of China’s AI chip market, and most of the company’s money comes from China. But because of restrictions on exporting goods to China, Nvidia expects to sell fewer chips there. Nvidia is working closely with the US government to follow the rules for selling chips in China.

Even though the US and China have a difficult relationship, the Asia-Pacific region is really important for Nvidia’s supply chain. Huang talked about how complicated Nvidia’s Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is because it has parts from different countries. He also mentioned how important AI is and how Nvidia is working with the Singapore government on projects like the Sealion language model and the country’s AI strategy. Singapore is a good place for investment because it has a growing market, lots of AI start-ups, and is a hub for data centers.

Huang thinks that every country wants to support its own start-ups and industries, like the successful internet companies in America. This shows that AI is seen as an important part of national strategies all over the world. As Nvidia keeps growing in Singapore and working with the government, Huang thinks that there will be a strong foundation that will help many industries and encourage competition worldwide.

Original news source: Confident about safety of AI: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang (BBC)

Listen:

Slow

Normal

Fast

Vocabulary:

1controversyA disagreement or argument about something
2ethicsThe moral principles that guide a person’s behavior or actions
3professionalsPeople who have a high level of skill or expertise in a particular field
4valuableWorth a lot of money or highly prized
5competitionThe act of trying to be better than others in a particular activity or field
6restrictionsRules or limitations that control or limit something
7relationshipThe connection or association between two or more people or groups
8complicatedDifficult to understand or deal with because it has many different parts or aspects
9supply chainThe sequence of processes involved in the production and distribution of a commodity
10investmentThe act of putting money, effort, or time into something to make a profit or achieve a result
11start-upsNew businesses that are just starting to develop
12national strategiesPlans or actions designed to achieve specific goals for a country
13foundationThe base or groundwork on which something is built or developed
14industriesSectors or areas of economic activity
15encourageTo give support, confidence, or hope to someone to do something

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: Ask students to read the article and write a 1-2 sentence summary of the main points. Then, have them share their summaries with a partner or in small groups and discuss the key ideas.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Assign each group a statement related to the article, such as “Artificial Intelligence (AI) development is safe” or “Competition is good for technology.” Have students discuss their opinions on the statement and then conduct a poll within their group to see how many agree or disagree. Finally, have a class discussion where each group shares their findings and reasons for their opinions.

– Word Association
Instructions: Choose 5-10 key words from the article, such as “AI development,” “competition,” or “Singapore.” Write each word on the board. Divide the class into pairs or small groups and give each group a few minutes to brainstorm as many words or phrases as they can that are associated with each key word. After the brainstorming time is up, have groups share their lists and discuss the connections between the words.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into two groups. Assign one group to discuss the pros of AI development and the other group to discuss the cons. Give students a few minutes to brainstorm their arguments and then have a debate where each group presents their points. Encourage students to use evidence from the article or their own experiences to support their arguments.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Ask students to imagine what the future of AI development might look like based on the information in the article. Have them write a short paragraph or create a visual representation of their predictions. Then, have students share their ideas with a partner or in small groups and discuss the likelihood of each prediction coming true.

Comprehension Questions:

1. According to the CEO of Nvidia, what is his opinion on the safety of AI development?
2. What was the recent controversy involving OpenAI and how did it affect the development of AI systems?
3. Why is Nvidia not worried about the competition from the Chinese company Huawei?
4. What percentage of China’s AI chip market does Nvidia currently control?
5. Why does Nvidia expect to sell fewer chips in China in the future?
6. Why is the Asia-Pacific region important for Nvidia’s supply chain?
7. What are some of the projects that Nvidia is working on with the Singapore government?
8. Why does Huang believe that AI is an important part of national strategies worldwide?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

The CEO of (1)______, Jensen Huang, thinks that Artificial Intelligence (AI) development is safe. Even though some people are (2)______ the ethics of AI, Huang believes that professionals all over the world will work together to keep it safe. Recently, there was a controversy with OpenAI, a big AI (3)______, which showed how commercial competition can affect the development of AI systems. But Microsoft, one of Nvidia’s main investors, said that the (4)______ wasn’t about safety. Nvidia’s AI chips are in high demand, which has made the company more valuable.

Even though a (5)______ company called Huawei has also started making AI chips, Huang isn’t worried about the competition. He thinks that competition is good because it helps (6)______ improve and makes a positive impact on (7)______. Right now, Nvidia (8)______ more than 90% of China’s AI chip market, and most of the company’s money comes from China. But because of restrictions on exporting goods to China, Nvidia expects to sell fewer chips there. Nvidia is working closely with the US government to follow the rules for selling chips in China.

Even though the US and China have a difficult relationship, the Asia-Pacific region is really important for Nvidia’s supply (9)______. Huang talked about how (10)______ Nvidia’s Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is because it has parts from different (11)______. He also mentioned how important AI is and how Nvidia is working with the Singapore government on projects like the Sealion language model and the country’s AI (12)______. Singapore is a good place for investment because it has a growing (13)______, lots of AI start-ups, and is a hub for data centers.

(14)______ thinks that every country wants to support its own start-ups and (15)______, like the successful internet companies in America. This shows that AI is seen as an important part of national strategies all over the (16)______. As Nvidia keeps growing in Singapore and working with the government, Huang thinks that there will be a strong foundation that will help many industries and encourage competition worldwide.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is Artificial Intelligence (AI) and why is it important?
2. How do you feel about the development of AI? Do you think it is safe?
3. What do you think about the idea of professionals all over the world working together to keep AI safe?
4. How would you feel if commercial competition affected the development of AI systems?
5. Do you like competition? Why or why not?
6. How do you think competition can help technology improve and make a positive impact on society?
7. Do you think it is important for countries to support their own start-ups and industries? Why or why not?
8. How do you think AI can be an important part of national strategies?
9. What do you think about the restrictions on exporting goods to China and how it may affect the sale of AI chips?
10. How would you feel if your country had a growing market and lots of AI start-ups?
11. Do you think it is important for companies to work closely with the government? Why or why not?
12. How do you think AI can help different industries?
13. What is a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) and why is it important in AI development?
14. How do you think AI can be used in data centers?
15. How do you feel about the idea of a strong foundation that encourages competition worldwide?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. controversy
2. ethics
3. professionals
4. valuable
5. competition
6. restrictions
7. relationship
8. complicated
9. supply chain
10. investment
11. start-ups
12. national strategies
13. foundation
14. industries
15. encourage

Meanings:
(A) To give support, confidence, or hope to someone to do something
(B) The base or groundwork on which something is built or developed
(C) The moral principles that guide a person’s behavior or actions
(D) Plans or actions designed to achieve specific goals for a country
(E) The connection or association between two or more people or groups
(F) A disagreement or argument about something
(G) The sequence of processes involved in the production and distribution of a commodity
(H) Worth a lot of money or highly prized
(I) Sectors or areas of economic activity
(J) Rules or limitations that control or limit something
(K) Difficult to understand or deal with because it has many different parts or aspects
(L) People who have a high level of skill or expertise in a particular field
(M) New businesses that are just starting to develop
(N) The act of trying to be better than others in a particular activity or field
(O) The act of putting money, effort, or time into something to make a profit or achieve a result
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Who is the CEO of Nvidia?
(a) Bill Gates
(b) Mark Zuckerberg
(c) Tim Cook
(d) Jensen Huang

2. What is the main concern about AI development?
(a) Safety
(b) Competition
(c) Ethics
(d) Demand

3. Which company recently had a controversy related to AI?
(a) OpenAI
(b) Microsoft
(c) Huawei
(d) Nvidia

4. What percentage of China’s AI chip market does Nvidia control?
(a) Less than 50%
(b) About 75%
(c) More than 90%
(d) Exactly 100%

5. What country is Nvidia working closely with on AI projects?
(a) China
(b) Singapore
(c) United States
(d) Germany

6. Why does Huang think competition is good?
(a) It increases demand for AI chips
(b) It decreases the company’s value
(c) It creates controversy
(d) It helps technology improve

7. What is Singapore known for in the AI industry?
(a) AI start-ups
(b) Data centers
(c) Manufacturing AI chips
(d) Ethical AI development

8. What does Huang believe will happen as Nvidia grows in Singapore?
(a) It will decrease competition worldwide
(b) It will help many industries
(c) It will lead to a decline in AI development
(d) It will result in a weak foundation for the company

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. Despite competition from a Chinese company called Huawei, Nvidia’s CEO is worried and believes competition is not beneficial.
2. There has been no controversy with OpenAI, a big AI company, which has affected the development of AI systems.
3. Microsoft, one of Nvidia’s main investors, stated that the disagreement with OpenAI was not about safety.
4. Nvidia’s AI chips are not in high demand, making the company less valuable.
5. Nvidia currently controls less than 90% of China’s AI chip market.
6. The CEO of Nvidia believes that the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is safe.
7. Nvidia is working closely with the US government to ensure compliance with rules for selling chips in China.
8. Nvidia expects to sell fewer chips in China due to restrictions on exporting goods.
Go to answers ⇩

Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.




Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What is the controversy surrounding OpenAI and how does it relate to the development of AI systems?
2. How does Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, feel about the competition from Huawei in the AI chip market?
3. Why does Nvidia expect to sell fewer chips in China and how are they working with the US government to navigate this issue?
4. Why is the Asia-Pacific region important for Nvidia’s supply chain and what projects are they working on with the Singapore government?
5. Why does Huang believe that AI is an important part of national strategies worldwide and how does he think Nvidia’s growth in Singapore will benefit industries and encourage competition?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. According to the CEO of Nvidia, what is his opinion on the safety of AI development?
– The CEO of Nvidia believes that AI development is safe and that professionals worldwide will work together to ensure its safety.

2. What was the recent controversy involving OpenAI and how did it affect the development of AI systems?
– The recent controversy involving OpenAI showed how commercial competition can affect the development of AI systems. However, Microsoft, one of Nvidia’s main investors, stated that the disagreement wasn’t about safety.

3. Why is Nvidia not worried about the competition from the Chinese company Huawei?
– Nvidia is not worried about the competition from Huawei because they believe that competition is good for technology improvement and has a positive impact on society.

4. What percentage of China’s AI chip market does Nvidia currently control?
– Nvidia currently controls more than 90% of China’s AI chip market.

5. Why does Nvidia expect to sell fewer chips in China in the future?
– Nvidia expects to sell fewer chips in China in the future due to restrictions on exporting goods to China.

6. Why is the Asia-Pacific region important for Nvidia’s supply chain?
– The Asia-Pacific region is important for Nvidia’s supply chain because it plays a crucial role in sourcing the various parts needed for their Graphics Processing Unit (GPU).

7. What are some of the projects that Nvidia is working on with the Singapore government?
– Nvidia is working with the Singapore government on projects like the Sealion language model and the country’s AI strategy.

8. Why does Huang believe that AI is an important part of national strategies worldwide?
– Huang believes that AI is an important part of national strategies worldwide because every country wants to support its own start-ups and industries, similar to the successful internet companies in America. This highlights the global recognition of AI’s importance.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) Nvidia
(2) debating
(3) company
(4) disagreement
(5) Chinese
(6) technology
(7) society
(8) controls
(9) chain
(10) complicated
(11) countries
(12) strategy
(13) market
(14) Huang
(15) industries
(16) world
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. controversy
Answer: (F) A disagreement or argument about something

2. ethics
Answer: (C) The moral principles that guide a person’s behavior or actions

3. professionals
Answer: (L) People who have a high level of skill or expertise in a particular field

4. valuable
Answer: (H) Worth a lot of money or highly prized

5. competition
Answer: (N) The act of trying to be better than others in a particular activity or field

6. restrictions
Answer: (J) Rules or limitations that control or limit something

7. relationship
Answer: (E) The connection or association between two or more people or groups

8. complicated
Answer: (K) Difficult to understand or deal with because it has many different parts or aspects

9. supply chain
Answer: (G) The sequence of processes involved in the production and distribution of a commodity

10. investment
Answer: (O) The act of putting money, effort, or time into something to make a profit or achieve a result

11. start-ups
Answer: (M) New businesses that are just starting to develop

12. national strategies
Answer: (D) Plans or actions designed to achieve specific goals for a country

13. foundation
Answer: (B) The base or groundwork on which something is built or developed

14. industries
Answer: (I) Sectors or areas of economic activity

15. encourage
Answer: (A) To give support, confidence, or hope to someone to do something
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Who is the CEO of Nvidia?
Answer: (d) Jensen Huang

2. What is the main concern about AI development?
Answer: (c) Ethics

3. Which company recently had a controversy related to AI?
Answer: (a) OpenAI

4. What percentage of China’s AI chip market does Nvidia control?
Answer: (c) More than 90%

5. What country is Nvidia working closely with on AI projects?
Answer: (b) Singapore

6. Why does Huang think competition is good?
Answer: (d) It helps technology improve

7. What is Singapore known for in the AI industry?
Answer: (a) AI start-ups

8. What does Huang believe will happen as Nvidia grows in Singapore?
Answer: (b) It will help many industries
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. Despite competition from a Chinese company called Huawei, Nvidia’s CEO is worried and believes competition is not beneficial. (Answer: False)
2. There has been no controversy with OpenAI, a big AI company, which has affected the development of AI systems. (Answer: False)
3. Microsoft, one of Nvidia’s main investors, stated that the disagreement with OpenAI was not about safety. (Answer: True)
4. Nvidia’s AI chips are not in high demand, making the company less valuable. (Answer: False)
5. Nvidia currently controls less than 90% of China’s AI chip market. (Answer: False)
6. The CEO of Nvidia believes that the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is safe. (Answer: True)
7. Nvidia is working closely with the US government to ensure compliance with rules for selling chips in China. (Answer: True)
8. Nvidia expects to sell fewer chips in China due to restrictions on exporting goods. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

How about these other Level 3 articles?

UK Urged to Recycle Fast Tech E-Waste

Nearly half a billion small electrical items, known as “Fast Tech,” were thrown away in the UK last year, making them the fastest-growing type of e-waste.

🎉 Coming Soon ⏳

🧑‍💻 1 to 1 Online English Classes 👩🏻‍💻

Practice English through Zoom with me, Paul, or one of the teachers I have chosen for you. Suitable for all ages and levels.

Choose the teacher and time you want. 🧑🏻‍🏫👩‍🏫⌚️

You can learn:
– English writing skills (essays, emails, etc.) 
– English conversation practice 
– English pronunciation practice
– Textbook classes
Anything you want

Introductory prices:
60 minute class with native speaker (e.g. Paul): US$34.99 US$24.99
60 minute class with non-native speaker (e.g. Philippines, Indonesia): US$9.99 US$7.99

Interested? Please fill in the form and I will contact you soon!

Feedback