Michael Kagan is a renowned figure in the technology industry, currently serving as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of NVIDIA since May 2020. With a remarkable career spanning multiple decades, Kagan's expertise and contributions have left an indelible mark on the industry.
From his early days at Intel to his pivotal role in the success of Mellanox, and now leading the technological advancements at NVIDIA, Kagan's journey is nothing short of extraordinary.
Michael Kagan's passion for technology began to take shape during his formative years. He pursued a BSc. in Electrical Engineering from the prestigious Technion — Israel Institute of Technology, providing him with a solid foundation for his future endeavors.
Equipped with a strong educational background, Kagan embarked on a professional journey that would shape his career in the years to come.
Kagan's professional journey took flight in 1983 when he joined Intel Corporation, one of the world's leading semiconductor companies. Over the course of his 16-year tenure at Intel, Kagan held various architecture and design positions, making significant contributions to the development of cutting-edge technologies.
His work at Intel helped lay the foundation for his future leadership roles and technical expertise, providing him with invaluable experience in the field of semiconductors. In April 1999, Kagan co-founded Mellanox Technologies, a leading provider of high-performance networking solutions.
As the Chief Technology Officer of Mellanox, he played a pivotal role in driving the company's technological innovation and growth. Kagan's visionary leadership and technical acumen enabled Mellanox to thrive, establishing itself as a key player in the industry.
Under his guidance, Mellanox became renowned for its industry-leading interconnect solutions, empowering high-performance computing, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence applications.
In May 2020, Kagan's exceptional talent and expertise caught the attention of NVIDIA, a global leader in advanced computing and artificial intelligence. NVIDIA acquired Mellanox, recognizing the significant value of Kagan's contributions.
Michael Kagan's journey from Intel to NVIDIA CTO is a testament to his exceptional talent, leadership, and commitment to technological innovation. With an illustrious career spanning several decades, Kagan's contributions have reshaped the semiconductor and networking industries. His visionary thinking and technical expertise continue to inspire and push the boundaries of what is possible in the world of technology.
In an interview with The Guardian, Chief Technology Officer of Nvidia, Michael Kagan, shared views on cryptocurrencies stating that they are not useful for society. While comparing processing power usage, Kagan said the Artificial Intelligence chatbot ChatGPT makes it more worthwhile than crypto mining.
According to Kagan, the mining operations need parallel processing that could be “best” done by Nvidia, which makes people program the processors. Such people make bulk purchases, and it falls with time bringing nothing useful.
Nvidia’s recent actions show its shift towards Artificial Intelligence (AI). During GTC 2023, CEO Jensen Huang brought insight into the company’s involvement in AI. He talked about AI as the most crucial in the computing world. Huang also cited the instance of providing the first supercomputer to ChatGPT creator OpenAI for powering the chatbot’s servers.
As the Chief Technology Officer of NVIDIA, Kagan continues to drive innovation and spearhead the development of transformative technologies. His leadership and strategic vision are instrumental in shaping NVIDIA's future, ensuring the company remains at the forefront of technological advancements.