Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang has admitted being unfaithful to his wife as the chipmaker’s board launched an independent investigation into reports that he was targeted by a Chinese intelligence operation.
In a message to employees on Sunday, Huang apologized to his family, colleagues and shareholders and said he took full responsibility for his conduct. He did not identify the person involved.
The admission followed reports that US intelligence officials believed Huang had a romantic relationship with Alice Huang, a former senior executive at Singapore-based Nvidia customer Megaspeed, who was suspected of having been recruited by China’s Ministry of State Security to gather information.
Nvidia’s board confirmed on Sunday that it had begun an independent investigation following reports that its founder and chief executive had been the target of a foreign intelligence effort.
A committee of independent directors, assisted by outside counsel, will oversee the review. The company said it currently had no reason to believe that either US national security or Nvidia’s confidential information had been compromised.
Huang will cooperate with the investigation and remain chief executive, with the board saying it continued to have confidence in him and his leadership team.
Alice Huang, a Chinese citizen, previously held a senior position at Megaspeed, a major buyer of Nvidia chips. US authorities have separately scrutinized the company over suspicions that restricted advanced AI processors may have reached China despite US export controls.
The New York Times first reported in late October that US intelligence agencies had monitored Alice Huang over concerns about her ties to Beijing and her relationship with Jensen Huang.
Nvidia initially characterized their interactions as routine business contact, saying its chief executive meets thousands of customers each year and that regional cloud customers receive ordinary business information rather than sensitive trade secrets or information related to US national security.
The Financial Times subsequently reported that an intelligence-based memo prepared for senior US officials said the two had a romantic relationship and alleged that Alice Huang had been recruited by Chinese intelligence.
The allegations have also drawn scrutiny from Congress.
The Republican chairmen of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the House Select Committee on China and the House Intelligence Committee have asked Huang to attend a closed-door briefing on November 18 to discuss his interactions with Alice Huang and Nvidia’s safeguards against foreign espionage.
The request is not a subpoena, and Huang had been asked to confirm his availability by November 11.
The controversy comes as Nvidia sits at the center of growing US-China tensions over advanced artificial intelligence chips and Washington’s restrictions on exports of high-end processors to China.
China has rejected allegations that it sought to use Alice Huang to target the Nvidia chief, describing the claims as unsubstantiated.
Nvidia said its independent investigation would examine all available information and that further updates would be provided when appropriate.
