Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang under investigation after affair with suspected Chinese spy

Nvidia has opened an official investigation into its CEO, Jensen Huang, after he admitted to an affair with a business executive suspected of being a Chinese spy.

The investigation follows a New York Times report about Huang’s affair with Megaspeed executive and Chinese businesswoman Alice Huang / Huang Le. In a company letter shared via the BBC, Huang wrote: “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.” He added: “Regarding the national security concerns raised in news reports, Nvidia’s Board of Directors has initiated an independent investigation. I support the investigation and will cooperate fully.”

US intelligence believes Huang was unaware of Alice Huang’s alleged activities, and the security branch reportedly has surveillance of her feeding intel to Beijing. Nvidia’s board says Huang will remain CEO while the investigation continues, which will involve independent directors and independent counsel. Nvidia added that it doesn’t believe the affair compromised any national security or Nvidia secrets.

Nvidia has been a major player in the US artificial intelligence chain, and the company has profited from the growing AI sector. The US under the Trump administration has introduced several new policies to limit China’s access to vital components, with Nvidia emerging as one of the biggest players in the AI arms race. Following the US midterm elections last week, Nvidia’s market cap was reduced by more than $1 trillion, although it did start to rebound later in the trading day.

Sources

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