Nvidia has launched an investigation into reports that its CEO, Jensen Huang, was targeted by a foreign intelligence effort, the company’s board announced on Sunday. This comes after Huang admitted to the board that he had a relationship with a business executive identified by US intelligence as gathering information for Beijing, according to The New York Times.
In a message to employees, Huang apologised, stating, “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.”
The Nvidia board expressed that they have “no reason to believe” national security or company secrets were compromised, but they intend to examine all relevant information. Huang, 63, will continue as CEO during the investigation and is committed to cooperating with the review.
Nvidia plays a vital role in the global race for artificial intelligence, as its chips power many data centres and computing systems that train AI models. The company has faced US export restrictions aimed at limiting China’s access to advanced semiconductor technology.
Last month, The New York Times reported that US intelligence had found Huang’s close relationship with Alice Huang, a Chinese citizen and chip buyer, who was allegedly passing information to Beijing. The two are not related.
Alice Huang was once a television reporter in China before becoming an executive at Singapore-based data centre firm Megaspeed, one of Nvidia’s largest customers in Southeast Asia, having purchased more than $4.8 billion worth of Nvidia chips over the last two years.
President Donald Trump commented on the situation during a Halloween event, calling it “very complex” and expressing hope that everything was well with Jensen Huang, whom he considers “smart” and “amazing.” He has previously insisted that Huang accompany him on international trips.
Senator Marco Rubio, speaking before departing for a G7 meeting in Paris, stated he could not comment on the situation due to its sensitive nature and the specifics of Nvidia’s internal matters.
Nvidia, the world’s most valuable company, has consistently exceeded Wall Street’s earnings expectations over the past three years, with quarterly profits reaching $59.69 billion in August.
