Graphics processing unit (GPU) giant Nvidia and its employees have rallied to donate $15 million to non-profit organizations supporting civilians affected by the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Nvidia's benevolent initiative involved thousands of employees hailing from more than 30 countries, collectively contributing $5 million, according to Reuters. The tech juggernaut, demonstrating solidarity, matched and doubled this amount to reach an impactful $10 million. The chip company proudly declared this donation the most significant humanitarian fundraiser in its 30-year history.
Nvidia disclosed that employees chose to allocate their donations to various regional organizations. Beneficiary entities include Asor Fund (JGive), American Friends of Magen David Adom, Doctors Without Borders, Friends of United Hatzalah, IsraAID (US) Global Humanitarian Assistance, Jewish Agency for Israel, World Central Kitchen, and Zaka.
An exterior view of the NVIDIA headquarters on May 30, 2023 in Santa Clara, California.
Nvidia Employee Among Hamas Kidnap Victims
Gideon Rosenberg, Deputy General Counsel at Nvidia, expressed gratitude for the widespread support received from Nvidia families globally. He particularly acknowledged the hope and prayers for the safe return of their colleague, Avinatan Or, and others held captive by Hamas, as reported by BNN.
On October 7, Hamas captured Avinatan Or, a 30-year-old engineer who has been working for Nvidia since April 2022, along with his girlfriend, Noa Argamani, and about 240 other people. Some individuals from this group have been released since the incident.
Apart from the monetary contributions, Nvidia actively provided support on the ground. The company donated hundreds of computers to families evacuated from the northern and southern regions of Israel. Furthermore, thousands of hot meals were distributed from the Chipmaker's Yokneam office cafeteria.
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Nvidia's deep involvement in Israel extends beyond humanitarian efforts. TKnown for its AI and graphics technology, the corporation is well-established in the nation's tech industry. Nvidia purchased Israel's Mellanox Technologies Ltd. for $7 billion in 2020, boosting its operations and workforce. Israel has Nvidia's biggest R&D facility outside the US.
The firm, which employs over 3,000 people in seven R&D locations in Israel, helps start-ups via the Nvidia Inception Program. This accelerator collaborates with hundreds of early-stage companies, including 800 Israeli start-ups. Moreover, Nvidia runs the Nvidia Developer Program, offering free access to its resources for developers.
Nvidia-Israel Partnership
In addition to its extensive engagement in Israel, Nvidia has undertaken groundbreaking projects in the region. The company is developing Israel-1, touted as the nation's most powerful generative AI cloud supercomputer. Valued at 700 million dollars, Israel-1 is designed to be one of the world's fastest AI supercomputers, according to The Times of Israel. Notably, it began its initial phase of operations ahead of schedule in November, according to Nvidia's announcement in May.
TechTimes reported in July that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had incorporated artificial intelligence into its military operations, using it for target selection in air strikes and combat logistics.
IDF officials have revealed the deployment of an AI recommendation system that analyzes vast amounts of data to suggest air attack targets. However, detailed operational specifics are still being kept secret. Reports also indicate that another AI model called Fire Factory puts together raids by calculating munition loads, allocating targets, and suggesting timelines depending on accepted targets.
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