The U.S. government would rescue Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:NVDA) in a crisis, but might let Google or Meta fail, according to Liz Hoffman, business editor at Semafor.

“I do not think the government would step in to save Meta or Google. I do think they would step in to save Nvidia,” Hoffman said Tuesday on the Prof G Markets podcast.

Hoffman, who covered banks after the 2008 financial crisis, argues Nvidia has become so deeply involved in financing the AI boom that it increasingly resembles AIG, the insurer Washington rescued during the crisis.

Nvidia Becomes the AI Industry’s Banker

Nvidia has become a major investor in the AI boom it supplies, taking stakes in 229 private companies and 13 publicly traded firms across the industry.

Hoffman previously described Nvidia as “both a bank, a financial supporter and a security blanket for the entire industry.”

She compared its financing arrangements to parents “co-signing on your first apartment,” explaining how Nvidia uses its financial strength to support less creditworthy customers.

One example is Nvidia’s agreement in August to provide up to $105 billion in guarantees for an Ohio data-center campus leased to OpenAI.

If OpenAI defaults, Nvidia could have to cover some rent and electricity payments. It has also agreed to protect the site’s value, potentially making up the difference if a new tenant or buyer pays less than a guaranteed minimum.

The campus is expected to use almost exclusively Nvidia equipment, and the company estimates that each generation of hardware installed there could generate $150 billion to $200 billion in revenue.

Why Hoffman Sees Echoes of AIG

AIG nearly collapsed in 2008 after selling billions of dollars in guarantees on mortgage-linked investments. When those investments plunged in value, the insurer faced enormous demands for cash, forcing Washington to step in with an $85 billion rescue.

Hoffman sees a potential parallel: if AI demand disappoints, Nvidia could face weaker chip sales alongside losses on investments and guarantees supporting the same customers.

“A really bad headline would be Nvidia sells its stake in Intel,” she said, describing how selling assets to raise cash could frighten investors.

However, Hoffman emphasized Nvidia’s strong balance sheet, calling its recent $150 billion buyback authorization increase “a flex.”

The IMF warned Tuesday that an AI investment slowdown could destabilize financial markets, according to Reuters.

On Polymarket, traders put the chance of a qualifying AI-industry downturn at just 6% by December 31, rising to 19% by June 2027.

Even if Hoffman is right about a government rescue, AIG’s experience offers Nvidia shareholders a warning: saving the company doesn’t necessarily mean saving investors.

Image: Shutterstock