Nvidia boss Jensen Huang admits affair as board launches spy probe

Nvidia's board has launched an independent investigation following media reports that founder and Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang was the target of a foreign intelligence effort, the company announced on Sunday, US time.

The probe follows a New York Times report in October that alleged Huang had a close relationship with a Chinese businesswoman who passed information to Beijing. Senior Republican members of the US House of Representatives have since called on Huang to brief Congress this month.

"The NVIDIA Board is initiating an independent investigation in light of recent reporting that founder and CEO Jensen Huang has been the target of a foreign intelligence effort," the company said in a statement.

“A committee of independent directors, assisted by outside independent counsel, will oversee the investigation.”

 

 

 

 

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The board added it had no reason to believe US national security or Nvidia's secrets had been compromised, but that the inquiry would examine all available information. According to the company, Huang fully supports the review and has committed to cooperating with it.

Huang admits relationship in draft staff email

Axios reported on Sunday, citing a draft email from Huang to employees, that he admitted to a romantic relationship with a suspected Chinese spy and took full responsibility for his actions.

"I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did," Huang said in the draft email, which was also seen by Reuters.

Addressing staff, the board, partners and shareholders, Huang wrote: "My responsibility is to serve you and be worthy of your trust. I have fallen short of that responsibility. I am fully committed to NVIDIA and will work to earn back your confidence."

An Nvidia spokesperson said Huang was “committed to continuing to lead NVIDIA as CEO without interruption.”

Megaspeed under scrutiny

According to the New York Times, US authorities are investigating Alice Huang, a former executive of Singapore-based Megaspeed, which buys AI chips from Nvidia.

US authorities have scrutinised Megaspeed over suspicions it helped Beijing access advanced AI chips that are barred from shipment to China.

Huang's role in the AI race

Huang has forged a close working relationship with US President Donald Trump and has previously urged the White House to lift restrictions on the sale of advanced AI chips to China, arguing the measures accelerate Beijing's own development of the technology.

He has described AI as the world's next industrial revolution, and has argued that whichever country has its technology adopted most widely will win the AI race.

Nvidia is valued at about US$5.4 trillion (A$7.7 trillion), making it the world's most valuable company amid surging demand for AI hardware and data centres.

Born in Taiwan and raised in Thailand, Huang emigrated alone to the US at the age of 10 to attend boarding school.