Nvidia board opens independent investigation into CEO Jensen Huang's relationship with alleged Chinese spy

Nvidia's board of directors has launched an independent investigation into reports that CEO Jensen Huang was the target of a foreign intelligence effort, the company said in a Sunday statement.

The investigation follows reporting by The New York Times and The Financial Times about Huang's relationship with Alice Huang, a businesswoman associated with Singapore-based data center company Megaspeed. U.S. intelligence agencies determined that Alice Huang was a Chinese spy and had a relationship with Jensen Huang, according to a person familiar with the matter cited by NBC News. The two are not related.

Nvidia said its board has no reason to believe that either national security or Nvidia secrets were compromised, but the inquiry will examine all available information. A committee of independent directors, assisted by outside independent counsel, will oversee the investigation.

In a memo to employees, Huang apologized for being unfaithful to his wife and pledged to cooperate with the investigation. "I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did. I am deeply sorry," Huang wrote. He also said he was fully committed to Nvidia and would work to earn back colleagues' confidence.

Nvidia shares were down around 5% in premarket trading Monday, with the stock last trading down 4.8%, according to CNBC.

Government and company responses

China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the "so-called Chinese spy narrative" was unsubstantiated, according to Reuters as cited by CNBC. In a separate statement reported by NBC News, Guo said "the so-called Chinese spy allegation is unsubstantiated. It is nothing but smears against China."

US President Donald Trump said he had not spoken to Huang since news of the investigation emerged. "I just know he's a fine person, but you never know what's going on," Trump told reporters. He added that he did not think he should have acted on intelligence about Alice Huang when briefed last year, calling Huang an "honorable guy."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio refused to comment, telling reporters before flying to Paris for a G7 meeting: "I can't comment on any of that. I just can't comment because of the nature of it. And I also can't comment on an internal corporate matter that's going on with Nvidia."

Congressional scrutiny and market context

Members of Congress have requested that Huang appear before them to discuss Nvidia's security protocols against foreign adversary espionage. Three House Republican committee leaders asked the CEO to appear later in the month, citing concerns about the PRC's access to sensitive US technology and information.

Nvidia is one of the world's largest companies and is central to making hardware for AI technologies. The company is worth nearly $4.5 trillion, according to NBC News and the BBC. Nvidia's AI chips have been a major focus of the rivalry between the US and China, and Washington has previously imposed controls on where its advanced products can be sold.

Nvidia spokesperson John Rizzo told The New York Times that "today's news will not slow Nvidia" and that Huang is "committed to continuing to lead Nvidia as CEO without interruption."

Why it matters

The investigation places Nvidia's leadership and its role in US AI infrastructure under scrutiny amid US-China technology tensions. The board's review will examine whether Huang was targeted by a foreign intelligence effort and whether any company or national security information was compromised, while the company maintains it has no reason to believe secrets were compromised.

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Sources

• cnbc.com: Nvidia stock falls as scrutiny turns to Huang’s relationship with alleged Chinese spy
• bbc.com: Nvidia launches investigation into CEO's affair with suspected Chinese spy
• politico.com: Nvidia launches investigation into reported Chinese spy effort targeting Jensen Huang - POLITICO
• nbcnews.com: Nvidia opens investigation after CEO Jensen Huang’s affair with alleged Chinese spy
• independent.co.uk: Nvidia launches investigation after CEO Jensen Huang admits to affair with suspected Chinese spy | The Independent

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.