Jensen Huang's Biggest Fear Isn't AI Competition—It's Pre-Show Butterflies: How Silicon Valley's Coolest Leaders Like Mark Zuckerberg And Elon Musk Are Gripped With Stage Fright

Public speaking might look effortless for tech titans, but Nvidia Corporation CEO Jensen Huang and other Silicon Valley leaders, including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Warren Buffett, have all admitted to struggling with stage fright.

What Happened: Last year in December, Huang, known for his cool demeanor and signature leather jacket, revealed in a “CBS 60 Minutes” interview that public speaking terrifies him.

Despite leading Nvidia—a company valued at $2.9 trillion—Huang admitted that stepping onto the stage at the GTC AI Conference was a nerve-wracking experience.

“I’m an engineer, I'm not a performer,” Huang said. “When I walked out there – and all of the people going crazy, it took the breath outta me. And so I was the scariest I’ve ever been. I’m still scared”

See Also: Despite Peter Thiel Ties, JD Vance Warns Of Big Tech Billionaires’ Excessive Clout: They’ve Got ‘Too Much Power’

Warren Buffett: Conquering Stage Fright 

The Oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffett has also spoken about his fear of public speaking, calling it potentially detrimental to his career. In the documentary "Becoming Warren Buffett," he shared that he enrolled in a public speaking course after graduating from business school in 1951. Decades later, Buffett still credits the course with transforming his confidence and career.

This news was first covered by Business Insider.

Steve Jobs: Perfected, Not Effortless  

Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs might have appeared natural on stage during iconic product launches, but his performances were meticulously rehearsed. According to the book "Becoming Steve Jobs," he would spend months planning and entire days perfecting a presentation.

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Microsoft Corporation founder Bill Gates, who admired Jobs’ stage presence, once said, "I'll never achieve that level," during an episode of the Armchair Expert podcast.

Elon Musk: A Self-Admitted Weakness  

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, one of the most outspoken tech leaders today, is known for his frequent and often controversial posts on X, formerly Twitter.

Despite his public persona, Musk has openly admitted his discomfort with public speaking. In 2019, he posted, "I'm such a bad public speaker! Damn."

Mark Zuckerberg: Growth Over Time

Meta Platforms, Inc. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has also come a long way since founding Facebook as a college student. In a Threads post marking his 40th birthday, Zuckerberg admitted that he "didn't know anything about running a company, communicating publicly, etc." Over the years, he credited age and experience for making him more confident and comfortable speaking in public.

Image via Shutterstock

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