Jensen Huang admitted affair; Nvidia probing CEO over alleged Chinese spy relationship

Nvidia board launches inquiry

Nvidia said it is investigating reports that CEO Jensen Huang was in a close relationship with a woman accused of being a Chinese spy. The company’s board said its review will cover all available information.

The board stated it had no reason to think national security or Nvidia secrets had been compromised. The New York Times reports that the alleged operation sought to get advanced Nvidia AI chips into China.

Reports detail Alice Huang

The Times published reports over two weeks about Alice Huang, who is not related to Jensen Huang. She is a Chinese national and businesswoman who ran a Singapore-based company that bought nearly $5 billion in Nvidia chip technology, according to Times reporter Ana Swanson.

Swanson said the pair were seen together after industry events in Taiwan, including at a bar with suppliers and at dinner with executives. The Times reporting suggests Alice Huang may have helped China evade U.S. restrictions on powerful AI chip exports. NPR said it contacted the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., but had not received a response.

CEO acknowledges relationship

Nvidia said Jensen Huang emailed employees on Sunday, acknowledged the relationship and apologized for being unfaithful to his wife. He wrote that he supported the investigation and would cooperate fully.

Huang also said he was committed to protecting Nvidia and supporting U.S. national security, and expressed pride in being American.

Lawmakers seek a briefing

Last week, three Republican members of Congress wrote to Huang asking him to brief lawmakers on the relationship and Nvidia’s security protocols against foreign adversary espionage. Nvidia dominates the global AI chip market and has grown rapidly in recent years. The company began by making computer graphics chips, which later proved important for training artificial intelligence.