Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's 'Jensanity' Tour: Unveiling AI Strategies Amid Global Challenges

Jensen Huang's Techno-Optimism Has a Point

Back in 2016, Jensen Huang famously donated his company's first artificial intelligence supercomputer to a little-known nonprofit called OpenAI. In a letter accompanying the gifted DGX-1 device, the Nvidia Corp. chief executive officer wrote: "To the future of computing and humanity." A lot has changed since then, including increasing attention on AI's risks and enormous energy requirements -- as well as the rise of Chinese competitors, many of which were built on Nvidia technology. But Huang's techno-optimism was on full display during his many appearances this week at Asia's biggest tech conference in Taipei.

Amid 'Jensanity', Nvidia signals plans to keep AI crown

TAIPEI, May 23 (Reuters) - Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang flew out of Taipei on Friday after a week revelling in the adoration of Taiwan's tech industry, and delivering a subtle but crucial message from the U.S. AI chip king on how it plans to keep its crown. While 'Jensanity' swirled around Huang at the Computex trade fair, Nvidia itself was at a crossroads. Having grown to become the world's most valuable chip company, investors fear a drop in spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure as well as damage to sales from U.S. trade friction. U.S. restrictions on high-tech exports have seen Nvidia lose market share in China as it withdraws chips and designs inferior alternatives compliant with evolving U.S. policy. Now, cloud computing giants such as Microsoft (MSFT.O), opens new tab and Alphabet's Google have signalled cuts to AI spending. And while the 62-year old CEO has in the past month announced deals worth hundreds of billions of dollars in regions such as the Gulf, analysts said such deals are likely to become scarce. "Is every country going to announce a $10 billion or $50 billion data centre like the Saudis? Of course not," said Seaport Research analyst Jay Goldberg. "They're sort of running out of obvious deals." When asked by Reuters how Nvidia planned to deal with AI spending slowdown, Huang said, "AI infrastructure is being built out (everywhere) - that's one of the reasons I'm travelling around the world... AI infrastructure is going to be a part of society." NEW GROWTH At Computex, Huang revealed a means of growth that does not rely on mega sovereign infrastructure arrangements: new technology that expands Nvidia's grip on the AI market. The tech's centrepiece is called NVLink Fusion. It allows companies to plug custom chips into Nvidia's AI infrastructure, thereby becoming a platform upon which others can build. "Instead of having to build the entire rack of equipment themselves, (companies) could innovate or differentiate on the custom (chip) itself," said Nick Kucharewski, vice president at Marvell Technology (MRVL.O), opens new tab. The bet is that drawing companies to build hardware that utilises Nvidia's Fusion platform will drive demand for the underlying AI network and data centre parts that Nvidia sells. Nvidia has also begun to reach into the enterprise market. This week, it launched a line of servers that Huang described as an "enterprise AI supercomputer". Huang's pitch was that the servers open up a multi-billion dollar market because customers can use them for "everything", such as graphics, virtual machines and AI applications. The enterprise market is large but difficult to break into, said Seaport Research's Goldberg. Deals tend to be small - compared with a sovereign data centre - and more expensive and time-consuming to win. "My sense is we're sort of bumping up against the limits of expanding the customer base," Goldberg said. TAIWAN ECOSYSTEM Nvidia works with some of Taiwan's biggest names in tech, such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (2330.TW), opens new tab, which makes many of its chips. However, the underlying infrastructure for AI would not be possible without the hundreds of Taiwanese companies big and small supplying components and manufacturing know-how needed to construct Nvidia's complex AI systems. "The purpose of Computex was to bring together the ecosystem and the supply chain," said Ian Cutress, chief analyst at consultancy More Than Moore. Such a network is necessary to support the deals announced in the Gulf and that are likely coming elsewhere in the world in the coming months, Cutress said. Taiwanese industry has embraced Huang, who is perceived as a local-born hero hailing from Taiwan's historic capital of Tainan before migrating to the U.S. when he was nine years old. By the time he flew out on Friday, Huang had appeared on stage or at banquets with nearly every prominent Taiwanese tech executive, including Chairman Young Liu of AI server builder Foxconn (2317.TW), opens new tab who called him the "leader of Team Taiwan". MediaTek (2454.TW), opens new tab CEO Rick Tsai gave Huang chunks of guava in a plastic bag from the Nvidia leader's favoured fruit stall in Taipei during one of the chip designer's events. Solomon Technology (2359.TW), opens new tab, a provider of industrial automation and AI-based inspection solutions which uses Nvidia's software tools, said working with Nvidia is a win-win situation. Shares of Solomon have surged 241% since Huang mentioned the firm at Nvidia's GPU Technology Conference in March last year. "The collaboration with Nvidia has given us greater visibility. We weren't very well-known before, but with Nvidia's support, many more people know us now," said Solomon Chairman Johnny Chen. Reporting by Max A. Cherney and Wen-Yee Lee in Taipei; Editing by Brenda Goh and Christopher Cushing Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Suggested Topics:Artificial Intelligence Max A. Cherney Thomson Reuters Max A. Cherney is a correspondent for Reuters based in San Francisco, where he reports on the semiconductor industry and artificial intelligence. He joined Reuters in 2023 and has previously worked for Barron's magazine and its sister publication, MarketWatch. Cherney graduated from Trent University with a degree in history.

Nvidia's Huang sparks 'Jensanity' in Taiwan with AI hero's welcome

TAIPEI, May 19 (Reuters) - Wherever AI darling Nvidia's (NVDA.O), opens new tab CEO Jensen Huang goes in Taiwan, his adoring fans and excited reporters follow, hanging on his every word, arms outstretched as they beseech him to sign books, posters and even baseballs. Huang, born in Taiwan's historic capital of Tainan before migrating to the United States when he was nine, is visiting Taipei this week for the annual Computex trade show, and his every move has been watched since his private jet touched down on Friday afternoon. "Jensen I love you!" one woman shouted out to him from the crowd in English as he greeted a throng in front of a Taipei restaurant on Saturday night where he was entertaining Taiwanese tech titans from companies like chipmaker TSMC (2330.TW), opens new tab, dubbed by local media the "trillion dollar dinner" given the market capitalisation of the assembled firms. "I love coming to Taiwan and love seeing everybody here and I appreciate their support, and everybody's very, very kind," Huang told Reuters when asked about the wildly enthusiastic reception he gets in Taiwan. Visiting Taipei for Computex last year, some Taiwanese media termed the expression "Jensanity" to describe the level of devotion he generates when he visits. This year, Nvidia has set up a pop-up store selling playing cards, shirts and other memorabilia with Huang's image on it. His fame in Taiwan prompts bafflement from Nvidia colleagues, given he is often largely unnoticed when he attends similar events in the United States, and concern from his bodyguards as they try to hold back reporters and fans alike. "He's not saying anything important," one bodyguard told reporters, asking them to step back as Huang handed out fried ice cream to his gathered fans on Saturday night outside the restaurant, where he and his guests enjoyed rice noodle soup and Taiwan's award-winning Kavalan whisky. "He has encouraged Taiwanese young people like myself. I believe what he is doing is something we should learn from," said 21-year-old student Hsu Han-yuan, who got Huang's autograph outside the restaurant. GUEST OF HONOUR AT SPORTING EVENT After finishing the dinner, Huang rushed off to the opening ceremony of the World Masters Games, an Olympics adjacent event for athletes mostly over 30, where he was a guest of honour along with Olympics gold medalist boxer Lin Yu-ting and renowned Taiwanese actor and director Sylvia Chang. Huang's participation even briefly embroiled Taiwan's presidential office, after criticism from opposition politicians that Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim was only making a last-minute appearance to "freeload" on Huang also being there. When Hsiao confirmed she was going she did not know Huang would also be doing so, and in any case the presidential security detail had checked out the venue a month ago, her office said in a statement. Given the intensity and breathlessness of the Taiwanese media coverage, at least one government department weighed in over the weekend to set the record straight on one issue - how much it costs to park his Bombardier private jet at Taipei's downtown Songshan airport. Taiwan's transport ministry said it would be T$95,562 ($3,167) assuming he was staying for six days - following local media reports as to the cost and length of stay. "The number reported in the media of more than T$60,000 is wrong, (nobody asked the Civil Aviation Administration or the airport, and the source of this is unclear)," it added, in a slightly indignant tone. In the end, the aircraft, operated by executive aircraft charter operator VistaJet, left Taipei on Saturday afternoon to fly to Honolulu, according to flight tracking apps. ($1 = 30.1770 Taiwan dollars) Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Wen-Yee Lee; Editing by Sonali Paul Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Suggested Topics:Artificial Intelligence Ben Blanchard Thomson Reuters Ben joined Reuters as a company news reporter in Shanghai in 2003 before moving to Beijing in 2005 to cover Chinese politics and diplomacy. In 2019 Ben was appointed the Taiwan bureau chief covering everything from elections and entertainment to semiconductors.

Amid 'Jensanity', Nvidia signals plans to keep AI crown

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang concluded a high-profile visit to Taiwan, highlighting new strategies amid slowing global AI spending. At Computex, he unveiled NVLink Fusion and enterprise AI servers to expand Nvidia's market reach. However, investors fear a drop in spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure as well as damage to sales from US trade friction.Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang flew out of Taipei on Friday after a week revelling in the adoration of Taiwan's tech industry, and delivering a subtle but crucial message from the US AI chip king on how it plans to keep its crown. While 'Jensanity' swirled around Huang at the Computex trade fair, Nvidia itself was at a crossroads. Having grown to become the world's most valuable chip company, investors fear a drop in spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure as well as damage to sales from US trade friction. US restrictions on high-tech exports have seen Nvidia lose market share in China as it withdraws chips and designs inferior alternatives compliant with evolving US policy. Now, cloud computing giants such as Microsoft and Alphabet's Google have signalled cuts to AI spending. And while the 62-year old CEO has in the past month announced deals worth hundreds of billions of dollars in regions such as the Gulf, analysts said such deals are likely to become scarce. "Is every country going to announce a $10 billion or $50 billion data centre like the Saudis? Of course not," said Seaport Research analyst Jay Goldberg. "They're sort of running out of obvious deals." When asked by Reuters how Nvidia planned to deal with AI spending slowdown, Huang said, "AI infrastructure is being built out (everywhere) - that's one of the reasons I'm travelling around the world... AI infrastructure is going to be a part of society." New growth At Computex, Huang revealed a means of growth that does not rely on mega sovereign infrastructure arrangements: new technology that expands Nvidia's grip on the AI market. The tech's centrepiece is called NVLink Fusion. It allows companies to plug custom chips into Nvidia's AI infrastructure, thereby becoming a platform upon which others can build. "Instead of having to build the entire rack of equipment themselves, (companies) could innovate or differentiate on the custom (chip) itself," said Nick Kucharewski, vice president at Marvell Technology. The bet is that drawing companies to build hardware that utilises Nvidia's Fusion platform will drive demand for the underlying AI network and data centre parts that Nvidia sells. Nvidia has also begun to reach into the enterprise market. This week, it launched a line of servers that Huang described as an "enterprise AI supercomputer". Huang's pitch was that the servers open up a multi-billion dollar market because customers can use them for "everything", such as graphics, virtual machines and AI applications. The enterprise market is large but difficult to break into, said Seaport Research's Goldberg. Deals tend to be small - compared with a sovereign data centre - and more expensive and time-consuming to win. "My sense is we're sort of bumping up against the limits of expanding the customer base," Goldberg said. Taiwan ecosystem Nvidia works with some of Taiwan's biggest names in tech, such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, which makes many of its chips. However, the underlying infrastructure for AI would not be possible without the hundreds of Taiwanese companies big and small supplying components and manufacturing know-how needed to construct Nvidia's complex AI systems. "The purpose of Computex was to bring together the ecosystem and the supply chain," said Ian Cutress, chief analyst at consultancy More Than Moore. Such a network is necessary to support the deals announced in the Gulf and that are likely coming elsewhere in the world in the coming months, Cutress said. Taiwanese industry has embraced Huang, who is perceived as a local-born hero hailing from Taiwan's historic capital of Tainan before migrating to the US when he was nine years old. By the time he flew out on Friday, Huang had appeared on stage or at banquets with nearly every prominent Taiwanese tech executive, including chairman Young Liu of AI server builder Foxconn who called him the "leader of Team Taiwan". MediaTek CEO Rick Tsai gave Huang chunks of guava in a plastic bag from the Nvidia leader's favoured fruit stall in Taipei during one of the chip designer's events. Solomon Technology, a provider of industrial automation and AI-based inspection solutions which uses Nvidia's software tools, said working with Nvidia is a win-win situation. Shares of Solomon have surged 241% since Huang mentioned the firm at Nvidia's GPU Technology Conference in March last year. "The collaboration with Nvidia has given us greater visibility. We weren't very well-known before, but with Nvidia's support, many more people know us now," said Solomon chairman Johnny Chen.

Nvidia's Huang sparks 'Jensanity' in Taiwan with AI hero's welcome

Visiting Taipei for Computex last year, some Taiwanese media termed the expression "Jensanity" to describe the level of devotion he generates when he visits. This year, Nvidia has set up a pop-up store selling playing cards, shirts and other memorabilia with Huang's image on it. His fame in Taiwan prompts bafflement from Nvidia colleagues, given he is often largely unnoticed when he attends similar events in the United States, and concern from his bodyguards as they try to hold back reporters and fans alike.Wherever AI darling Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang goes in Taiwan, his adoring fans and excited reporters follow, hanging on his every word, arms outstretched as they beseech him to sign books, posters and even baseballs. Huang, born in Taiwan's historic capital of Tainan before migrating to the United States when he was nine, is visiting Taipei this week for the annual Computex trade show, and his every move has been watched since his private jet touched down on Friday afternoon. "Jensen I love you!" one woman shouted out to him from the crowd in English as he greeted a throng in front of a Taipei restaurant on Saturday night where he was entertaining Taiwanese tech titans from companies like chipmaker TSMC, dubbed by local media the "trillion dollar dinner" given the market capitalisation of the assembled firms. "I love coming to Taiwan and love seeing everybody here and I appreciate their support, and everybody's very, very kind," Huang told Reuters when asked about the wildly enthusiastic reception he gets in Taiwan. Visiting Taipei for Computex last year, some Taiwanese media termed the expression "Jensanity" to describe the level of devotion he generates when he visits. This year, Nvidia has set up a pop-up store selling playing cards, shirts and other memorabilia with Huang's image on it. His fame in Taiwan prompts bafflement from Nvidia colleagues, given he is often largely unnoticed when he attends similar events in the United States, and concern from his bodyguards as they try to hold back reporters and fans alike. "He's not saying anything important," one bodyguard told reporters, asking them to step back as Huang handed out fried ice cream to his gathered fans on Saturday night outside the restaurant, where he and his guests enjoyed rice noodle soup and Taiwan's award-winning Kavalan whisky. "He has encouraged Taiwanese young people like myself. I believe what he is doing is something we should learn from," said 21-year-old student Hsu Han-yuan, who got Huang's autograph outside the restaurant. GUEST OF HONOUR AT SPORTING EVENT After finishing the dinner, Huang rushed off to the opening ceremony of the World Masters Games, an Olympics adjacent event for athletes mostly over 30, where he was a guest of honour along with Olympics gold medalist boxer Lin Yu-ting and renowned Taiwanese actor and director Sylvia Chang. Huang's participation even briefly embroiled Taiwan's presidential office, after criticism from opposition politicians that Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim was only making a last-minute appearance to "freeload" on Huang also being there. When Hsiao confirmed she was going she did not know Huang would also be doing so, and in any case the presidential security detail had checked out the venue a month ago, her office said in a statement. Given the intensity and breathlessness of the Taiwanese media coverage, at least one government department weighed in over the weekend to set the record straight on one issue - how much it costs to park his Bombardier private jet at Taipei's downtown Songshan airport. Taiwan's transport ministry said it would be T$95,562 ($3,167) assuming he was staying for six days - following local media reports as to the cost and length of stay. "The number reported in the media of more than T$60,000 is wrong, (nobody asked the Civil Aviation Administration or the airport, and the source of this is unclear)," it added, in a slightly indignant tone. In the end, the aircraft, operated by executive aircraft charter operator VistaJet, left Taipei on Saturday afternoon to fly to Honolulu, according to flight tracking apps. ($1 = 30.1770 Taiwan dollars) (Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Wen-Yee Lee; Editing by Sonali Paul)

Jensanity at its peak: Taiwanese fans are super excited as Nvidia CEO and AI hero Jensen Huang visits the country; here's why he's there

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's visit to Taiwan for the Computex trade show has sparked immense excitement. Affectionately termed 'Jensanity' by local media, Huang's arrival drew fervent crowds seeking autographs and glimpses of the AI icon. He attended a high-profile dinner with Taiwanese tech leaders and was a guest of honor at the World Masters Games opening ceremony.The excitement in Taiwan is high as Nvidia CEO and AI icon Jensen Huang visited his birth country and since his private plane landed in Taipei late Friday afternoon, his fans and the press are watching and following him closely, as per a report. Huang visited Taipei this week to attend the annual Computex trade show, and people have been trying to get a glimpse of him, by going wherever his presence is expected, as per Reuters. Some fans even got his autographs on books, posters and baseballs, according to the report. Nvidia has set up a pop-up store this year for the Computex trade show, selling playing cards, shirts and other memorabilia with Huang's image on it, according to Reuters. ALSO READ: Reports say Jamie Dimon's time as JPMorgan CEO is winding down; investors say, "Don't go" One woman shouted out, "Jensen I love you!", from the crowd in English as he greeted his fans in front of a Taipei restaurant on Saturday night, reported Reuters. He had gone to the restaurant to meet Taiwanese tech titans from companies like chipmaker TSMC, termed by local media as the "trillion dollar dinner" because of the market capitalisation of the assembled companies, as per the report. Huang even attended the opening ceremony of the World Masters Games after the dinner, where he was a guest of honour along with Olympics gold medalist boxer Lin Yu-ting and renowned Taiwanese actor and director Sylvia Chang, reported Reuters. ALSO READ: With $258 billion in the black, U.S. Treasury posts historic surplus, experts say it might signal brighter days ahead The Nvidia CEO shared that, "I love coming to Taiwan and love seeing everybody here and I appreciate their support, and everybody's very, very kind," quoted Reuters. When he visited Taipei for Computex last year, some Taiwanese media coined the term "Jensanity" to describe the level of devotion Huang generates when he visits, as per the report. Why is Jensen Huang in Taiwan? He's attending the annual Computex trade show in Taipei. Why are people calling it "Jensanity"? Taiwanese media coined the term last year to describe the fan frenzy and admiration that follows Huang wherever he goes.

Nvidia's Next Move

In Taipei, Jensen Huang - the leather-jacketed, ever-smiling CEO of Nvidia - boarded a flight after a weeklong victory lap at Computex, Asia's largest tech fair. It wasn't just a business trip. For Taiwan's adoring tech community, it was more like a homecoming celebration for a native son who had returned at the height of his powers. Born in Tainan and now the head of the world's most valuable chipmaker, Huang basked in what the media dubbed "Jensanity." But behind the smiles and stage lights was a clear message: Nvidia intends to keep its grip on the future of artificial intelligence, even as the economic winds shift. Cloudy Outlook for AI Spending Huang's message arrived at a critical moment. Nvidia, once a niche graphics card company, has become the backbone of the global AI boom. But that boom is beginning to cool. The tech giants who fueled Nvidia's rise - Microsoft, Google, Amazon - are now scaling back their spending on AI infrastructure. Meanwhile, escalating U.S. trade restrictions are cutting into Nvidia's access to China, one of its largest markets. To stay ahead, Nvidia must evolve. At Computex, Huang laid out that evolution. Instead of betting only on massive national deals like the multi-billion dollar data centers being built in the Gulf, Nvidia is shifting toward a more scalable strategy. The centerpiece: NVLink Fusion, a new technology that allows companies to integrate their own custom chips directly into Nvidia's ecosystem. It's a way for partners to innovate on a smaller scale - designing just one chip instead of an entire server rack - while staying connected to Nvidia's infrastructure. "Rather than having to build everything themselves, they can differentiate on the chip itself," said Marvell Technology's Nick Kucharewski. It's a clever move. Nvidia is no longer just selling hardware; it's becoming the essential platform on which others will build. A Play for the Enterprise Market Alongside NVLink Fusion, Nvidia is also entering the enterprise market with a new line of AI-powered servers. These machines, which Huang called "enterprise AI supercomputers," are designed to handle everything from graphics to virtual machines to AI applications. The aim is to open a new market - smaller but potentially steadier than the hyperscale data centers. Still, analysts like Seaport Research's Jay Goldberg warn that enterprise deals are slower and harder to win. "We're sort of bumping up against the limits of expanding the customer base," he noted. And yet, if there's any place that offers Nvidia an advantage, it's Taiwan. The island's tech ecosystem - led by companies like TSMC, Foxconn, and hundreds of small, highly specialized suppliers - forms the scaffolding of Nvidia's global ambitions. Ian Cutress, a tech analyst, put it simply: "The purpose of Computex was to bring together the ecosystem and the supply chain." For Nvidia, Taiwan isn't just a partner. It's the operating system behind the curtain. The Man and the Moment What Huang demonstrated in Taipei wasn't just charisma or corporate flair. It was control. Control over the narrative of AI's future, over Nvidia's strategy, and over an ecosystem that now depends on - and reveres - his leadership. In Silicon Valley, there's a saying: disrupt or be disrupted. Huang, with quiet confidence and sharp foresight, is doing the former. The AI world may be shifting, but Nvidia isn't backing down. It's building in deeper - and taking the rest of the world with it.

Nvidia's Huang sparks 'Jensanity' in Taiwan with AI hero's welcome

(This story has been refiled to correct the name to Han-yun, not Han-yuan, in paragraph 9) TAIPEI (Reuters) -Wherever AI darling Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang goes in Taiwan, his adoring fans and excited reporters follow, hanging on his every word, arms outstretched as they beseech him to sign books, posters and even baseballs. Huang, born in Taiwan's historic capital of Tainan before migrating to the United States when he was nine, is visiting Taipei this week for the annual Computex trade show, and his every move has been watched since his private jet touched down on Friday afternoon. "Jensen I love you!" one woman shouted out to him from the crowd in English as he greeted a throng in front of a Taipei restaurant on Saturday night where he was entertaining Taiwanese tech titans from companies like chipmaker TSMC, dubbed by local media the "trillion dollar dinner" given the market capitalisation of the assembled firms. "I love coming to Taiwan and love seeing everybody here and I appreciate their support, and everybody's very, very kind," Huang told Reuters when asked about the wildly enthusiastic reception he gets in Taiwan. Visiting Taipei for Computex last year, some Taiwanese media termed the expression "Jensanity" to describe the level of devotion he generates when he visits. This year, Nvidia has set up a pop-up store selling playing cards, shirts and other memorabilia with Huang's image on it. His fame in Taiwan prompts bafflement from Nvidia colleagues, given he is often largely unnoticed when he attends similar events in the United States, and concern from his bodyguards as they try to hold back reporters and fans alike. "He's not saying anything important," one bodyguard told reporters, asking them to step back as Huang handed out fried ice cream to his gathered fans on Saturday night outside the restaurant, where he and his guests enjoyed rice noodle soup and Taiwan's award-winning Kavalan whisky. "He has encouraged Taiwanese young people like myself. I believe what he is doing is something we should learn from," said 21-year-old student Hsu Han-yun, who got Huang's autograph outside the restaurant. GUEST OF HONOUR AT SPORTING EVENT After finishing the dinner, Huang rushed off to the opening ceremony of the World Masters Games, an Olympics adjacent event for athletes mostly over 30, where he was a guest of honour along with Olympics gold medalist boxer Lin Yu-ting and renowned Taiwanese actor and director Sylvia Chang. Huang's participation even briefly embroiled Taiwan's presidential office, after criticism from opposition politicians that Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim was only making a last-minute appearance to "freeload" on Huang also being there. When Hsiao confirmed she was going she did not know Huang would also be doing so, and in any case the presidential security detail had checked out the venue a month ago, her office said in a statement. Given the intensity and breathlessness of the Taiwanese media coverage, at least one government department weighed in over the weekend to set the record straight on one issue - how much it costs to park his Bombardier private jet at Taipei's downtown Songshan airport. Taiwan's transport ministry said it would be T$95,562 ($3,167) assuming he was staying for six days - following local media reports as to the cost and length of stay. "The number reported in the media of more than T$60,000 is wrong, (nobody asked the Civil Aviation Administration or the airport, and the source of this is unclear)," it added, in a slightly indignant tone. In the end, the aircraft, operated by executive aircraft charter operator VistaJet, left Taipei on Saturday afternoon to fly to Honolulu, according to flight tracking apps. ($1 = 30.1770 Taiwan dollars) (Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Wen-Yee Lee; Editing by Sonali Paul)