Jensen Huang has a test for whether an engineer is worth keeping, and it comes with a token budget attached. Speaking on the All-In Podcast at the close of GTC 2026, the Nvidia chief executive said that if a $500,000 engineer's annual AI token consumption came in under half their salary, he would consider moving them to another role. The test is designed to gauge an engineer's ability to optimize their own budget and reduce waste, which can help businesses save costs.
The cost of tokens can be substantial for engineers, with some estimates suggesting that a single developer may consume hundreds of thousands of tokens per year. However, the goal is not to eliminate token use altogether but rather to learn how to manage it more effectively. By monitoring their own consumption and making adjustments as needed, engineers can reduce waste and save their employers money.
Huang's approach emphasizes the importance of self-awareness in managing costs. He believes that if an engineer is able to accurately estimate their own consumption and make informed decisions about how to allocate tokens, they will be more likely to contribute to a company's budget without being asked to shoulder it themselves. By encouraging engineers to take ownership of their token usage, businesses can reduce expenses and improve overall efficiency.