Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang has admitted having an affair with a woman alleged by US intelligence to be a Chinese spy, prompting the technology company’s board to launch an independent investigation into possible national security implications.
Mr Huang, 63, acknowledged the relationship in a memo to Nvidia staff, saying: “I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did.”
He apologised to his wife, Lori, and their two adult children, Madison and Spencer, and said he hoped his family would heal and that he could regain their trust.
The woman, identified as Alice Huang, is not related to the Nvidia founder despite sharing his surname. Mr Huang has not said that he knew she was allegedly involved in espionage.
Jensen Huang affair prompts Nvidia security review
The relationship became a US government concern after surveillance footage allegedly showed Alice Huang passing information to Beijing, according to an intelligence memo.
She was identified by US intelligence as a senior executive at Megaspeed International, a Singapore-based company that bought Nvidia’s advanced artificial intelligence chips. She was also reportedly being investigated over the alleged illegal transfer of the chips to China, where their sale is prohibited under US export rules.
Nvidia’s board said it had “no reason to believe that either national security or Nvidia secrets were compromised” through the relationship, but would examine all available information. Mr Huang has supported the review and said he would co-operate fully.
In his memo, he said: “Regarding the national security concerns raised in news reports, NVIDIA’s Board of Directors has initiated an independent investigation. I support the investigation and will cooperate fully.”
He added: “I love our country and our company. I am committed to protecting NVIDIA and supporting America’s national security. I am proud and grateful to be an American.”
The allegations had already reached senior figures in Donald Trump’s administration. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was alleged to have overseen a classified memo warning officials about Mr Huang’s relationship with Alice Huang during the spring.
The memo was based on intelligence gathered through electronic surveillance. Mr Huang was initially left off a list of technology leaders invited to accompany Mr Trump to China, although he later joined the delegation after the President asked him to attend during a stopover in Alaska.
Mr Trump subsequently praised “the Great Jensen Huang” as he travelled to China to meet President Xi Jinping. Mr Huang was later seen alongside the President at a White House state dinner and sat next to him at a technology leaders’ luncheon.
Before acknowledging the affair, Mr Huang had described his relationship with Alice Huang as “normal”. He also said Nvidia had checked that Megaspeed was not illegally sending its processors to China, adding that the company had studied and counted the deployment of its graphics processing units.
Mr Huang co-founded Nvidia in 1993 with Chris Malachowsky and Curtis Priem. The company makes chips used in data centres and supplies hardware and software to artificial intelligence companies.
In his memo, Mr Huang said his family bore no responsibility for his actions and asked colleagues to give them privacy.
