Nvidia’s board of directors said Sunday that it is launching an independent investigation after reports that CEO Jensen Huang was targeted by a Chinese spy operation. The company also published a message Huang sent to employees in which he admitted to an affair, and the board said it has no reason to believe national security or company secrets were compromised.
Jensen Huang’s memo to the company
Nvidia said Huang fully supports the review and has committed to cooperating with it. The board also said it has confidence in Huang and his leadership team. The investigation will be handled by independent directors working with outside legal counsel.
In the message, Huang said he owed his family and everyone at the company an apology. He wrote that he was unfaithful to his wife, that his actions hurt her and their children, and that there was no excuse for what he did. Huang said he had fallen short of his responsibility to the company, and he told colleagues, partners, and shareholders around the world that they deserved better from him.
The China and Alice Huang claim
A memo that circulated among U.S. policymakers earlier this year said Alice Huang, a former executive at Singapore-based chip company Megaspeed, had been recruited by China’s Ministry of State Security to spy on Nvidia’s CEO. In Nvidia’s earlier response to those reports, the company said the two people’s interactions were not unusual. It also said the company does not share classified information with customers.
AI rivalry and wider concern
The case comes as competition between the United States and China in AI continues to heat up, with chips, especially Nvidia’s chips, drawing strong attention. Nvidia also said Huang appears to have a close relationship with President Donald Trump, who has been a cheerleader for the AI, or superintelligence, industry.
Other companies involved in the AI boom have warned employees to watch for possible spies, including people offering sex or romance. Nvidia’s announcement places its own review in that climate of concern around recruitment efforts and personal relationships.
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