Watch Star Trek and be like Jensen Huang

NVDA all-star ceo is a Trekky for good reason

Science fiction often mirrors real-life challenges, which is probably why Jensen Huang openly geeks out on Star Trek even naming NVDA’s headquarters after the show, Voyager.

Don’t you feel Jensen himself is going on a voyage as he does deals with all kinds of challenges and exploration throughout the globe?

For us, mere cast members, we can still observe. Basic number one for me is that every new investment/trade or venture/partnership can feel like boldly venturing into the unknown. When you knock on a new business’s door, you don’t know what to expect inside – much like Captain Kirk and his crew stepping onto an unfamiliar planet for the first time.

Lets take a random episode “What Are Little Girls Made Of?” from Season 1

In this episode, Nurse Christine Chapel accompanies Captain Kirk to an icy planet (Exo-III) in search of her long-lost fiancé, Dr. Roger Korbyen.

Upon arrival, Kirk and Chapel discover Korby living deep underground with astonishing technological discoveries. He has found machines left by an extinct alien race and has used them to create sophisticated androids. In fact, Korby reveals a secret plan to use these androids to achieve galactic influence or conquest, potentially.

Chapel’s reunion with Korby is not the happy occasion she hoped for. In a dramatic twist, it’s revealed that Dr. Korby is no longer human at all – he had been dying and saved himself by transferring his mind into an android body.

By the episode’s end, Korby’s schemes unravel. He loses control of his creation and ultimately destroys himself in despair, after Chapel rejects him and he realizes how far he’s strayed from his humanity.

Note the four concepts in this episode:

Expect the Unexpected: Kirk and Chapel went in search of a renowned scientist but found danger and deception instead – friendly faces turned out to be androids, and a trusted fiancé was literally not the man he used to be (big surprise).

• A deal that looks straightforward could hide complexities or risks. Good leaders approach new ventures with both optimism and caution, ready to adapt

Every Organization Has Its Own Culture: In Star Trek, every planet has different customs and logic (“different planets, different rules, different logic,” as you observed).

• In this episode, the underground world of Exo-III had an eerie, inhuman logic governed by Korby’s android agenda. What works in one company might offend another; one firm’s incentive might be another’s disincentive.

Maintain the Human Element: One of the profound questions in this Star Trek episode is what it means to be truly human. Korby believed he could preserve himself by becoming an android, removing emotion and mortality from the equation. Yet in doing so, he lost the very human qualities that made him who he was – his empathy, judgment, and moral compass were all distorted.

• It’s easy for an organization to become too machine-like – fixated on numbers, algorithms, and efficiency – at the expense of empathy and ethical considerations.

Companies today leverage AI and rigorous analytics (much like Korby leveraged technology), but if they let “cold logic” override compassion and common sense, they risk alienating their employees, partners, and customers.

As I write this, the headlines are that “600,000 Amazon employes will be replaced by robots.” The domino effect is that UPS is downsizing 38,000 employees as well.

How does that make you feel?

What made the show work is the combo of Spock and Kirk and a healthy balance between logic and emotion. Star Trek often champions the idea that pure logic (think of the androids or even the Vulcan philosophy) must be tempered with human feeling and ethics.

Emotional intelligence is as vital as analytical intelligence. This episode’s outcome suggests that denying our human nature (compassion, trust, intuition) can lead to destructive results. Successful business relationships require understanding people – their hopes, fears, and motivations – not just treating them as cogs in a machine.

• Adaptability and Quick Thinking: Captain Kirk survives the events of Exo-III by being resourceful and adaptable. He quickly notes something is off about Korby’s setup.

The parallels are deeper than what I wrote. Let’s focus on the timeless lessons in human nature that apply whether you’re dealing with alien androids on a distant world or new colleagues in a boardroom. By studying such stories, business leaders can reflect on their own practices: Are we as prepared as Kirk when venturing into unfamiliar territory? Are we maintaining trust and human values as we innovate, or are we at risk of becoming like Korby – brilliant but unmoored from what makes us human?

In the end, Star Trek’s message is one of hope and learning. Each new encounter – whether with a strange civilization or a new business partner – is an opportunity to grow. As you “boldly go” into your next business venture, you can carry with you the lessons of Captain Kirk’s journey: be curious and courageous, stay true to your values, and you’ll be ready for whatever surprises await in the final frontier.

And have a uniform. Have a coda.