Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says he is not especially concerned that artificial intelligence could leave children weaker at basic mathematics—or that his own reliance on technology has made him forget everyday personal details.
Nvidia supplies much of the hardware used by the data centres and computers running modern AI services, giving Huang a clear business interest in continued AI expansion. The debate is therefore about more than schoolwork: it also raises questions about which human skills remain worth preserving as software handles more routine tasks.
In a new interview with The New York Times, Huang discussed research from China suggesting that AI tools help students finish homework more quickly, while the knowledge intended to be learned does not necessarily remain. In the research described during the interview, students’ quiz and test performance deteriorated rapidly despite completing their work faster.
Huang agreed that poor retention could be affecting many children who use AI for school tasks, but said he was not worried about the loss of some traditional abilities.
“Try to get a kid to do long division right now,” Huang said. “The multiplication table is starting to be forgotten. Doing square roots, my goodness. Basic math is being forgotten. Does it matter? I don’t think it does. I don’t think it does.”
Which skills will AI make less important?
When asked whether some skills must still matter, Huang accepted the point but questioned whether basic mathematics belonged in that category. He suggested society would instead “discover new ones” as technology changed the way people work and learn.
Huang also offered a personal example of how dependence on technology can affect basic recall. He said he does not know his home address or telephone number, and recalled panicking when he needed to provide his ZIP code while buying petrol several years ago.
“My first confession: I actually don’t know my address. It’s completely true… [my wife] Lori will tell you. One day I had to pump gas—it was a few years ago. They needed my ZIP code, and I panicked. I didn’t know my ZIP code. I don’t know my telephone number. I forget these things. I can live with it.”
He argued that AI may cost people some “finer intellectual dexterity”, but claimed the trade-off would be an increase in the number of people who become better “systems thinkers”.
What this means for technology users
That argument remains difficult to measure. A student who uses an AI tool to complete a worksheet may save time, but the benefit of education can disappear if the student cannot explain the method later without assistance. The same concern applies to everyday problem-solving when a phone, connection or chatbot is unavailable.
For arcade owners and players, the issue has a familiar parallel. Technology can make a machine easier to operate, diagnose or customise, but practical knowledge still matters when a cabinet needs attention. Understanding controls, displays and replacement components can be useful alongside digital assistance.
Anyone comparing an AI-heavy setup with a more traditional cabinet can start with RETROCADE’s arcade machine buying guide, browse arcade machines, or look at arcade parts for repairs. For hands-on projects, DIY arcade kits put more of the building process back in the owner’s hands.
Huang’s broader point is that society may value different abilities in an AI-shaped future. His admission about forgetting his address and phone number, however, highlights the uncomfortable side of that exchange: convenience can also mean allowing simple knowledge to fade.
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