Jensen Huang’s Nvidia resignation after two cheating scandals unleashes a flood of AI-generated memes
Huang’s image becomes meme material
Jensen Huang, who co-founded Nvidia, became closely identified with the technology company and its leather-clad look. Nvidia even sold $178 sweaters this year featuring a pixel-art image of him.
After Huang resigned on Thursday following back-to-back cheating scandals, his likeness spread across social media. The revelations include an extramarital affair with a woman whom the U.S. government believes is a Chinese spy.
AI-powered parodies spread online
Many of the memes are made by A.I. enthusiasts who once admired Huang. His image has appeared in parodies of music videos, Bollywood movies, American sitcoms and Coldplay concert kiss-cams.
The posts use artificial intelligence, a technology that became widely available through chips produced by Nvidia. Huang, 63, is among the most powerful figures in the A.I. boom.
A viral concert moment revisited
Infidelity scandals have repeatedly become meme fodder. Last year, a married technology start-up chief executive was caught on a Coldplay concert kiss-cam embracing the married but separated head of the company’s human resources department.
Belgian software engineer Peter Dedene superimposed Huang’s image onto that viral moment. In a phone interview on Thursday, Dedene said he had been up late that week scrolling through headlines about Nvidia.
Key points
- Huang resigned from Nvidia on Thursday after two cheating scandals.
- The U.S. government believes one woman involved in an affair with Huang is a Chinese spy.
- Online parodies featuring Huang include music videos, Bollywood films and sitcoms.
- Belgian software engineer Peter Dedene placed Huang into a viral Coldplay kiss-cam moment.