Nvidia Nears $12.9 Billion Deal for Hugging Face
The Information reports talks over the open-model hub. Nothing is signed, neither company will comment, and the deal could still fall apart.
Illustration: an empty data center hall in early morning light, cable runs stretching above rows of dark racks.
Nvidia is in talks to buy Hugging Face for about $12.9 billion, according to a report by The Information, but no agreement has been signed.
At a glance
- Reported price: about $12.9 billion, the figure cited by The Information.
- Hugging Face was founded in 2016; its 2023 round valued the company at $4.5 billion.
- In late 2025 Hugging Face turned down $500 million from Nvidia at a $7 billion valuation.
- Annual revenue recently put at about $150 million, up from roughly $100 million two months earlier.
- Golem's headline places Nvidia's record revenue at $96 billion.
Nvidia is reportedly closing in on a deal to buy Hugging Face, the main distribution hub for open AI models. The Information puts the price at roughly $12.9 billion. As things stand, nothing has been signed, and neither company will comment.
What the reporting says
Business Insider first reported over the weekend that talks were underway; The Information then attached a number to them. The talks have not produced an agreement and may still come apart. TechCrunch notes that both sides are silent, and treats Nvidia's silence in particular as telling.
Why a chipmaker wants a model repository
Hugging Face is where open models and datasets change hands. Owning that layer means sitting at the exact point where developers decide what hardware their models will run on. TechCrunch frames the move as a defense of Nvidia's chip position at a moment when OpenAI, Google, Amazon and Anthropic are all building silicon of their own.
From a rejected check to a takeover talk
Nvidia was already among the backers of the 2023 round that valued Hugging Face at $4.5 billion. In late 2025 it offered $500 million at a $7 billion valuation, and Hugging Face said no. The price now being reported is far above that. Revenue at the 2016-founded company is most recently put at about $150 million a year, compared with roughly $100 million two months earlier.
What we could not confirm
Golem's headline sets a record revenue figure of $96 billion alongside the purchase plan. We could not check which period that figure covers: the article body sat behind a consent wall, and only the headline itself was retrievable in full.
A third, US outlet covering the same report was not technically reachable for us, so nothing from it is used here. Timing, deal structure and any antitrust review are likewise open questions on which we have no reliable information.
FAQ
How much is Nvidia paying for Hugging Face?
The Information cites about $12.9 billion. That number comes from reporting, not from any statement by Nvidia or Hugging Face.
Is the Hugging Face acquisition confirmed?
No. The reporting describes talks that have not reached an agreement, no contract has been signed, and the deal may still collapse.
Why would a chipmaker buy a model repository?
Hugging Face is the central place open models are distributed. Controlling it shapes, early on, which hardware those models end up running on.
