On Monday, Nvidia Corp. ( NVDA ) CEO Jensen Huang said longtime rival Intel Corp. ( INTC ) spent more than three decades "trying to kill" his company — but the two chipmakers have now become partners in a $5 billion alliance.

From Rivals To Partners In A $5 Billion Collaboration

In an appearance on CNBC's Mad Money, Huang reflected on the long rivalry between the companies while speaking with Jim Cramer.

He jokingly said that Intel ( INTC ) dedicated "33 years of our lives trying to kill us." Later during the conversation, he also said, "We're lovers, not fighters,"  referring to the rival chipmaker, highlighting how the two firms have evolved from fierce competitors into strategic allies.

The comments come after Nvidia ( NVDA ) and Intel ( INTC ) announced in September 2025 a multi-generational partnership to jointly develop custom data center and PC products for hyperscale, enterprise and consumer markets.

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Nvidia-Intel Partnership Is Built On Mutual Growth

Huang said the partnership was made possible through his long-standing friendship with Intel ( INTC ) CEO Lip-Bu Tan, noting that the collaboration will allow both companies to win in the rapidly evolving AI hardware market.

"Our partnership with Intel ( INTC ) is because I can imagine a future for the both of us where we could both win," he told Cramer.

"They’re going to build a custom microprocessor for us. We’re also going to build a custom microprocessor for a new market. So there are two new products that come along from this partnership."

Jensen Huang Is Now An Intel Shareholder

Huang also revealed that he is now an Intel ( INTC ) shareholder, saying, "Ever since I invested, it went up something like 50% or something."

Intel ( INTC ) shares have climbed 51.84% over the past month and are up 83.83% year-to-date, according to Benzinga Pro.

Huang said the partnership will help both firms meet surging AI demand. "When we give a keynote, everybody's stock price goes up," he quipped. "When somebody else gives a keynote, our stock prices goes down … The way we see the future is inclusive for other people."

Nvidia ( NVDA ) shares gained 9.94% in the past month. Despite this, Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings rank Nvidia's ( NVDA ) Growth in the 97th percentile and Quality in the 93rd, underscoring its strong position among rivals like INTC.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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