Nvidia’s board of directors announced Sunday that it’s launching an independent investigation following reports that CEO Jensen Huang was targeted by a Chinese spy operation.
Nvidia also published a message that Huang sent to the company admitting that he had an affair with Alice Huang, a former executive at Singapore-based chip company Megaspeed (though he didn’t mention her by name). A memo circulating among U.S. policymakers earlier this year claimed that Alice Huang had been recruited by China’s Ministry of State Security to spy on Nvidia’s CEO.
“I owe my family and all of you an apology,” Jensen Huang wrote. “I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did. I am deeply sorry.”
Huang added that he’d “fallen short” of his responsibility to the company.
“To my colleagues at NVIDIA, including those I have worked alongside for decades, and to our board, partners, and shareholders around the world: you deserve better from me,” he said.
As the AI race between the United States and China heats up, chips, especially Nvidia’s chips, have been a major focus. Huang also seems to have a close relationship with President Donald Trump, who’s been a cheerleader of the AI (or “superintelligence”) industry.
In its announcement, Nvidia’s board said that it has “no reason to believe” that either national security or company secrets were compromised. It also said that Huang “fully supports the review and has committed to cooperating with it,” and that the board has “confidence in Jensen and his leadership team.”
The investigation will be conducted by independent directors working with outside legal counsel.
In response to earlier reports about the CEO’s relationship with Alice Huang, Nvidia had said that the pair’s interactions were “not unusual,” and that the company does not share classified information with customers.
Other companies involved in the AI boom have warned employees to be wary of possible spies, including those offering sex or romance.
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