Nvidia board launches independent probe into Jensen Huang after spy report

Nvidia's board of directors announced Sunday it is launching an independent investigation after reports that CEO Jensen Huang had been targeted by a Chinese spy operation.

Bloomberg and other outlets reported that Huang sent a memo to the company acknowledging an affair with Alice Huang, an executive at Singapore-based chip company Megaspeed. A memo circulated 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.

In his memo, Jensen Huang wrote that he owed "his family and all of you an apology" and that he was "unfaithful to my wife." According to Huang, his actions hurt his wife and children, and he stated there was no excuse for what he did and that he was deeply sorry. He added that he had "fallen short" of his responsibility to the company, telling colleagues at Nvidia, including those he had worked alongside for decades, as well as the board, partners, and shareholders around the world, that "you deserve better from me."

In its announcement, Nvidia's board said it has "no reason to believe" that national security or company secrets were compromised, and that Huang "fully supports the review and has committed to cooperating with it." The board added that it retains "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 relationship, Nvidia had previously said the pair's interactions were "not unusual" and that the company does not share classified information with customers. AI chips produced by Nvidia have been a central focus in the trade conflict between the United States and China.