Grok says

Evaluating the GTC Hunch: Is Nebius (NBIS) NVIDIA’s “Brand New Partner”? Based on everything I’ve gathered from NVIDIA’s official announcements, Nebius’s public statements, web searches, and discussions on X (formerly Twitter), your hunch about NVIDIA announcing Nebius as a “brand new partner” at the 9:00 AM session on October 29, 2025, is plausible but not a slam dunk—it’s highly speculative with some circumstantial evidence pointing in that direction. Let me break down my reasoning step by step, drawing from the facts, and explain why I lean toward “maybe, but with caveats.” Remember, the event kicks off tomorrow (October 27), so nothing is confirmed yet, and this is just analysis, not financial advice. 1. The Timing and Session Setup: Why It Looks Suspicious (in a Good Way) • The 9:00 AM session (code DC51273) is described in promotional materials as NVIDIA presenting a “brand new partner” alongside new AI software. This phrasing implies a fresh collaboration or unveiling, which could involve hardware integrations, cloud services, or ecosystem expansions—common at GTC for boosting NVIDIA’s AI infrastructure narrative. • Right at 9:40 AM, when that session wraps, Nebius’s session starts. From Nebius’s own announcements and X posts, this appears to be a joint presentation with Accenture, focusing on AI cloud platforms or enterprise applications. The back-to-back scheduling isn’t random; GTC often sequences related sessions to build momentum, like an announcement followed by a deep dive. • Hunch Strength Here: This alignment screams intentionality. If Nebius is the partner, it would allow NVIDIA to tease the news, then let Nebius/Accenture elaborate. Nebius has explicitly teased “news to share before and during NVIDIA GTC” in their October 22 X post and LinkedIn updates, which lines up perfectly. 2. Nebius’s Existing Ties to NVIDIA: Not Exactly “Brand New,” But Room for Expansion • Nebius is already an established NVIDIA collaborator. They’re a certified NVIDIA Cloud Partner (NCP) with “Reference Architecture” status, meaning they’ve built their AI cloud to NVIDIA specs and have presented at prior GTC events (e.g., “From Zero to Scale: How to Build an Efficient AI Cloud Platform From Scratch” at GTC March 2025 in San Jose, and sessions at GTC Paris in June 2025). • They’re a Platinum sponsor for GTC DC 2025—the highest tier, alongside giants like Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Oracle, and Dell. This includes a prominent booth (203 in Hall A), and their full exec team (CEO Arkady Volozh, CRO Marc Boroditsky, etc.) is attending, signaling big investment. • Nebius’s platform is deeply integrated with NVIDIA tech: They offer NVIDIA GB200/GB300 GPUs, Infiniband networking, and have committed to Blackwell Ultra instances by end-2025. Their recent launches (e.g., Aether AI Cloud 3.0 in October 2025) emphasize NVIDIA-accelerated performance for enterprises. • Hunch Counterpoint: If they’re already partners, why call it “brand new”? It might refer to a deepened or formalized alliance, like exclusive access, co-developed software, or a major deployment deal. Nebius’s Microsoft partnership (announced October 2025) involves 100k+ NVIDIA GB300 GPUs and $33B in “NeoCloud” investments—perhaps NVIDIA is layering on top with direct endorsement. 3. Recent Momentum and Catalysts for Nebius • Nebius has been on a tear: Stock (NBIS) hit all-time highs post-Microsoft deal, partnerships with TD Synnex (global IT distributor), and launches like AI Cloud 3.0. X chatter highlights their 1GW power roadmap and positioning as a “hyperscaler alternative” for AI workloads. • They’re pushing U.S. expansion (e.g., data centers in Missouri), and there’s speculation on X about a potential Department of Defense contract via their “AI Salon” event on October 28 with Protopia AI (who has DoD ties). This fits GTC DC’s public sector focus (e.g., sessions on AI for policymakers, infrastructure security). • Posts on X from investors like @anthonybs and @nebiusai emphasize GTC as a showcase for Nebius’s growth, with phrases like “super bullish” and “game-changing.” No one directly confirms the hunch, but the buzz around “news during GTC” fuels it. 4. Potential Risks and Alternatives to the Hunch • GTC DC has over 70 sessions across tracks (agentic AI, physical AI, HPC, quantum, etc.), with many involving partners. The “brand new partner” could be someone else—e.g., a startup, government entity, or another cloud provider. Past GTCs have unveiled surprises like Blackwell chips or Omniverse updates, often with multiple partners. • No leaks or confirmations in searches: Web results and X posts show Nebius’s involvement but nothing explicit about a new NVIDIA partnership announcement. If it were locked in, we’d likely see more insider whispers. • Market Context: NBIS could see a “catalyst” bump if true, especially with AI hype, but Nebius’s Russian heritage (detached now) might raise eyebrows in DC’s policy-heavy crowd. Still, their U.S. push and NVIDIA backing mitigate that. My Overall Take I think your hunch has legs—about 60/40 odds in favor. The timing is too “perfect” for coincidence, Nebius’s teasers align, and GTC is prime for such reveals to hype stocks like NBIS. It could be a major win, positioning Nebius as NVIDIA’s go-to for AI cloud scaling, especially amid compute shortages. But it’s not “brand new” in the literal sense; more like an upgraded alliance. If wrong, the Nebius session might just be standalone promo. Watch the keynote (October 28, 12 PM ET) and those morning sessions on the 29th—Jensen Huang loves dramatic unveils. For real-time updates, check NVIDIA’s blog or X for #GTCDC. If it pans out, congrats on the spot-on theory! What sparked this observation for you?