At the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang made headlines when he praised blue-collar jobs as some of the best career paths in the age of artificial intelligence.
“We’re going to have plumbers and electricians and construction and steelworkers,” Huang said in a conversation with BlackRock CEO Larry Fink.
“Everybody should be able to make a great living. You don’t need to have a Ph.D. in computer science to do so.”
He described the AI era as the “largest infrastructure buildout in human history,” highlighting the rising demand for skilled labor to build out data centers and chip factories.
According to Huang, some of these jobs are now paying six-figure salaries as wages surge due to shortages in the field.
So, it begs the question: are his own kids taking advantage of this AI-proof trade boom?
From Wine and Cocktails to Cloud Robotics
Jensen Huang, 62, has two children, Spencer Huang and Madison Huang, who now work for Nvidia. But they didn’t exactly come up through the trades.
Spencer, the older of the two, ran a popular cocktail bar in Taipei for nearly a decade after earning his degree in Chinese.
The bar was even named one of Asia’s top 50 by Forbes. After it closed in 2021, he completed a master’s in technical business administration from NYU and joined Nvidia in 2022.
He now works as a product manager in robotics, one of Nvidia’s most important new business areas. His salary is reportedly about $530,000 a year.
Madison started out in the culinary world. She trained at the Culinary Institute of America, studied pastry and wine at Le Cordon Bleu, and later worked for luxury brand LVMH in France.
She pivoted to tech during her MBA at London Business School and joined Nvidia as an intern in 2020.
She now serves as Senior Director of Product Marketing in the simulation and omnibus group, earning over $1 million in 2024, according to SEC filings.
Madison is also part of Huang’s inner executive circle and helps run major company events. Her boyfriend, Nico Capez, also joined Nvidia in 2024.
A Rare Move in Silicon Valley
It’s not common for children of tech CEOs to join their parents’ companies.
Apple’s Steve Jobs and Microsoft’s Bill Gates saw their children pursue paths outside their companies. But Nvidia has taken a different approach.
Jensen Huang isn’t the only executive with family on the payroll. Co-founder Chris Malachowsky and board member Aarti Shah also have children working at Nvidia.
Still, Madison and Spencer’s rapid rise has sparked discussion about nepotism, especially as Madison took on a senior director role and crossed the $1 million pay mark.
Former Nvidia VP Greg Estes told The Information that “it’s natural anyone meeting them would be aware they’re Jensen’s kids,” but added they both work hard and contribute meaningfully.
Huang has addressed the criticism head-on.
“Many employees’ children work here,” he said. “Parents wouldn’t recommend their children if they were unqualified and would embarrass them.”
He also joked that some of these second-generation employees “outperform their parents.”
Will They Lead Nvidia Someday?
Despite their high-profile roles, it’s unclear whether Spencer or Madison will move into company leadership.
Huang still owns only 3.5% of Nvidia and is in good health, with no signs of stepping down anytime soon.
According to South Korean outlet Maeil Business Newspaper, both children are recognized figures in Taiwan, where Huang is viewed as a tech hero.
Madison in particular drew attention during a 2025 appearance at Computex in Taipei with her mother, Lori Huang.
Talking Trades, But Living Tech
Huang’s praise of plumbers and electricians at Davos wasn’t just lip service.
He believes the AI economy is opening new doors for people without advanced degrees.
“So we’re talking about six-figure salaries for people who are building chip factories or computer factories or AI factories, and we have a great shortage in that,” he said.
But when it comes to his own family, their path didn’t run through union halls or trade schools.
Instead, they’ve made lateral moves from hospitality and luxury into Nvidia executive roles, with elite education and family ties helping ease the transition.
No one is saying they aren’t working hard.
But in a company now valued at about $4.5 trillion, with the CEO’s daughter earning seven figures and attending exclusive executive events, it’s hard not to notice the contrast between what’s being said at global conferences and what’s actually happening in the corner office.
So, are Huang’s children working the trades? Not exactly. But they’re certainly getting paid.
IMAGE CREDIT: ”Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang” by Maurizio Pesce, via Flickr. Licensed under CC BY 2.0. Image adjusted for layout.