Jensen Huang Admits Affair as Nvidia Board Opens Foreign Intelligence Probe
Nvidia chief Jensen Huang admitted an extramarital affair as the board opened a probe into reports he was targeted by a foreign intelligence effort.
Image: Wikimedia Commons / Anderseidesvik
SANTA CLARA, California — Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang has admitted to an extramarital affair, hours after the company’s board announced an independent investigation into reports that he was the target of a foreign intelligence effort. In a memo to staff published on Sunday, Huang said he had been unfaithful to his wife and apologised to his family and to the company. CNN reported that Huang, 63, told staff he supports the board’s inquiry and will cooperate fully.
“I was unfaithful to my wife,” Huang wrote. “My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did. I am deeply sorry.” He did not name the other person involved. He remains chief executive, and the board stressed its confidence in Huang.
- Jensen Huang admitted to an extramarital affair in a memo to staff on Sunday, hours after Nvidia’s board announced an independent investigation into reports he was the target of a foreign intelligence effort.
- Huang, 63, remains chief executive and will cooperate fully; the admission drew more than 40 million Weibo views on Monday, and three House chairmen want a briefing on 18 November.
- The board says it has no reason to believe national security or Nvidia secrets were compromised.
Nvidia said a committee of independent directors, assisted by outside counsel, will oversee the investigation into recent reporting that Huang “has been the target of a foreign intelligence effort”. The board said it has “no reason to believe that either national security or NVIDIA secrets were compromised”, but its inquiry “will examine all available information”.
The episode centres on Huang’s relationship with Alice Huang, a former executive at Megaspeed, a Singapore-based company that buys chips from Nvidia. The two are not related. US outlets have reported that American officials suspect Alice Huang passed information to China and helped smuggle advanced artificial intelligence chips into the country, in breach of US export controls. Those claims rest on unnamed US officials; they are not court findings, and no evidence has been presented that Jensen Huang knowingly took part in any intelligence operation.
The New York Times reported in late October that US intelligence agencies had concluded Alice Huang passed information to Beijing, and reported on 6 November that a memo circulated among policymakers claimed China’s Ministry of State Security had recruited her to spy on Huang. The Financial Times reported the same memo also claimed a romantic relationship between the two. Huang had previously told Bloomberg News that his interactions with her were business-related.
Megaspeed has been under scrutiny from US authorities over suspicions it helped Beijing gain access to advanced Nvidia chips barred from shipment to China.
The affair admission became one of the top trending topics on Chinese social media on Monday, drawing more than 40 million views on Weibo, although discussion of the espionage allegation itself was largely absent from state media coverage, CNN reported. In Washington, the Republican chairmen of three House committees — Foreign Affairs, the Chinese Communist Party and Intelligence — wrote to Huang on Thursday requesting a closed-door briefing on 18 November about his association with Alice Huang and Nvidia’s safeguards against foreign espionage.
| Date | Development |
|---|---|
| Late October | NYT: US intelligence concluded Alice Huang passed information to Beijing. |
| 31 October | Singapore: no investigation of Alice Huang; Megaspeed inquiry ongoing. |
| 6 November | Memo claims China’s Ministry of State Security recruited Alice Huang to spy on Huang. |
| Sunday | Board announces independent investigation; Huang admits the affair in a memo to staff. |
| 18 November | House chairmen seek a closed-door briefing with Huang. |
The timing is awkward for the world’s most valuable chipmaker. Nvidia reports third-quarter results on Tuesday, and investors will watch the numbers and any further word from the investigation, as the AI funding slowdown has shown how fast sentiment can turn.
What comes next is set by two dates: Nvidia’s third-quarter results on Tuesday, and the closed-door briefing the three House chairmen want with Huang on 18 November.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Nvidia’s board say about the investigation?
A committee of independent directors, assisted by outside counsel, will examine all available information.
Who is Alice Huang?
A former Megaspeed executive whom US outlets have reported American officials suspect of passing information to China. Those claims are not court findings, and the two Huangs are not related.
What happens next?
Nvidia reports third-quarter results on Tuesday, and three House chairmen have requested a closed-door briefing with Huang on 18 November.
