Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang stated on October 21, 2026, that Blackwell and Vera Rubin GPUs could remain useful for seven to eight years. This estimate significantly exceeds the four-year lifespan typically used in financial models for data center infrastructure.
Huang argues that longer-lived hardware provides greater collateral value, which can lead to more favorable credit terms for financing AI projects. By extending the depreciation period, companies can reduce annual expenses and improve reported profitability.
Nvidia has increased its revenue projection for the Blackwell and Vera Rubin architectures to $1 trillion through 2027, doubling its previous forecast of $500 billion. Blackwell entered volume production in 2025, with Vera Rubin expected to ramp up in the second half of 2026.
Market trends show operators shifting depreciation schedules to five to six years. For instance, CoreWeave has extended contracts for its A100 GPUs, originally launched in 2020, to run until 2029, indicating sustained demand for older hardware.
