Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang has publicly admitted to an extramarital affair in a company memo, sending shockwaves through the tech world as the board opens an independent investigation into potential foreign espionage risks.
The personal revelation arrived alongside mounting scrutiny over Jensen's relationship with Alice Huang (also known as Huang Le), a former executive at Singapore-based data centre firm Megaspeed. US intelligence agencies suspect Alice of acting as an asset for Beijing's Ministry of State Security, raising fears of security compromises surrounding advanced AI chip technology.
Addressing staff directly in an emotional email, Jensen expressed deep remorse for his personal misconduct and pledged full transparency. "I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children," Jensen wrote. "There is no excuse for what I did. I am deeply sorry."
He added, "To my colleagues at NVIDIA... you deserve better from me. Leading NVIDIA is the privilege of my life... I am fully committed to NVIDIA and will work to earn back your confidence."
Despite the high-stakes national security probe, Nvidia’s board stated it has no reason to believe company secrets or national security were compromised. An independent committee with external legal counsel will oversee the inquiry.
Key political and industry figures have already voiced support. US President Donald Trump defended Jensen, calling him an "honourable guy" who has done an "amazing job for our country." Meanwhile, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk echoed support for the tech visionary online.
With House committees seeking closed-door briefings, Jensen faces his toughest challenge yet as he fights to rebuild personal trust and preserve his leadership at the helm of the world's leading AI powerhouse.
For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels.