Nvidia says it’s investigating CEO Jensen Huang’s relationship with possible Chinese spy

Nvidia's board of directors said Sunday that it is launching an independent investigation into CEO Jensen Huang's relationship with Alice Huang, an executive at the Singapore-based chip company Megaspeed, following reports that he had been targeted by a Chinese spy operation.

Bloomberg and other outlets reported that Jensen Huang sent a message to the company acknowledging an affair. "I owe my family and all of you an apology," he 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." He also addressed colleagues, the board, partners and shareholders, writing that they "deserve better from me."

A memo circulated among U.S. policymakers earlier this year asserted that Alice Huang had been recruited by China's Ministry of State Security to spy on Nvidia's chief executive. The board's announcement 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 directors added that they have "confidence in Jensen and his leadership team." The investigation will be run by independent directors working with outside legal counsel.

Nvidia had responded to earlier reporting on the relationship by saying the two executives' interactions were "not unusual," and that the company does not share classified information with customers. The episode lands as AI chips, including Nvidia's, sit at the center of the trade dispute between the United States and China, and as Huang maintains a notably close relationship with President Donald Trump. Other companies in the AI boom have already cautioned staff about potential spies, including ones who offer sex or romance.

What remains unresolved is the scope and timeline of the review, and whether it will produce findings beyond the board's stated conclusion that nothing was compromised. Also open: how the probe intersects with U.S.-China chip policy and Nvidia's government relationships, and whether the board's expression of confidence holds as independent directors and outside counsel move through the process.

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