NVIDIA Backs AI Voice Pioneer ElevenLabs Amid US-UK Lockstep Tech Alliance

NVIDIA has just announced its invested in the AI voice technology startup ElevenLabs.

The partnership, highlighted by a conversation between NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang and ElevenLabs co-founder Mati Staniszewski on X.com (formerly Twitter), comes as the United States and the United Kingdom fortify their "AI march" in lockstep.

The investment was celebrated by Staniszewski, who tweeted, "We’re excited to share that NVIDIA is investing in ElevenLabs, with support from Jensen Huang. Last week’s U.S. state visit to the UK strengthened AI ties. With our roots growing deeper in both places, this partnership and conversation were the perfect way to cap it off."

In a video released by ElevenLabs, Huang and Staniszewski discussed the evolution and future of AI-powered audio. The video emphasizes the collaborative spirit, stating, "ElevenLabs partnered with NVIDIA in our earliest days to help bring our research to the world," and notes that "Since the beginning, Jensen has shared our vision in the power of voice and AI audio."

During their conversation, Huang praised ElevenLabs for their contribution to the digital delivery of his own voice, stating, "Whenever my voice is delivered digitally using artificial intelligence, it's the ElevenLabs platform that I'm using." He distinguished between the technical and artistic aspects of voice synthesis, remarking with absolute style, "Speech-to-text is just technology. Text-to-speech is artistry."

Huang further elaborated on the emotional depth that ElevenLabs' technology brings, adding, "With the delivery of the emotion, you're also delivering empathy... you're delivering connection."

This investment is a key component of NVIDIA's broader strategy in the United Kingdom. The nation is a focal point for NVIDIA's £2 billion commitment to AI startups, with a keen interest in hubs like London and Cambridge. This initiative aligns with the UK's national AI strategy, which has seen companies like ElevenLabs, alongside others in robotics and life sciences, leveraging NVIDIA's technology stack.

The backdrop to this partnership is a significant strengthening of US-UK collaboration on technology. President Donald Trump's state visit to the UK in September 2025 culminated in the signing of a landmark "$42 billion tech pact on AI and quantum computing." This "Technology Prosperity Deal" aims to create a "generational step change" in the relationship between the two nations, fostering joint research in areas like drug discovery and cancer treatments. The agreement is expected to unlock £150 billion in UK investments, spurring job creation and economic growth.

NVIDIA is a central player in this transatlantic alliance, with plans for substantial investments in the UK's AI infrastructure. The company has announced intentions to invest up to £11 billion in UK "AI factories," which will include the deployment of 120,000 of its advanced GPUs. This rollout is part of a larger initiative with partners to bolster UK sovereign AI.

ElevenLabs, founded in 2022 by former Google and Palantir employees Piotr Dąbkowski and Mati Staniszewski, has rapidly emerged as a leader in AI voice technology. The company, with dual roots in the US and UK, develops models for text-to-speech, speech-to-text, and voice agents utilized in gaming, media, and accessibility tools.

The firm's ascent is marked by a September 2025 employee share tender offer that valued the company at $6.6 billion.