Nvidia probes CEO Jensen Huang's ties to woman US intel calls a suspected Chinese spy

Nvidia is investigating its own chief executive. The chip giant's board has opened an independent inquiry into founder and CEO Jensen Huang's relationship with Alice Huang, a Chinese businesswoman whom US intelligence officials believe was acting on behalf of Beijing, according to a New York Times report. The board said it had no reason to believe national security or Nvidia secrets were compromised, but would examine all available information.

Jensen Huang didn't deny the personal side of the story. In a statement, he admitted he was unfaithful to his wife and apologized to her and their children. He said he took full responsibility and had fallen short of his duties to Nvidia's employees, board and shareholders, adding that he loves his country and is committed to protecting the company and America's national security.

The spycraft details are murky. Surveillance reportedly picked up communications between Alice Huang and an American citizen, later identified as Jensen Huang through a process known as unmasking, per unnamed sources cited by the Times. It remains unclear what, if anything, she allegedly passed to Beijing, how valuable it was, or when the suspected intelligence gathering began. Alice Huang, also known as Huang Le, is linked to Singapore-based data centre firm Megaspeed, which told the Times last month it had hired external legal advisers for its own internal investigation. She did not respond to the paper's request for comment.

Jensen Huang, who is of no relation to Alice Huang, has run Nvidia for more than 30 years and is credited with betting on AI long before rivals did. That gamble turned chips built for gaming into the backbone of the AI boom, and Nvidia is now worth roughly $4.5 trillion, with customers including OpenAI and Meta. China has dismissed the espionage claims as groundless speculation.

Washington is already circling. Three House Republican committee leaders wrote to Jensen Huang asking him to appear before Congress later this month to discuss Nvidia's security protocols against foreign adversary espionage. Their letter cited what they called significant national security concerns over China's access to sensitive US technology. Nvidia's AI chips sit at the center of the US-China rivalry, and Washington has imposed strict controls on where its advanced products can be sold, though the Trump administration said in January it would let Nvidia sell H200 chips to Chinese customers under certain conditions.

For a boss known as a workaholic and a perfectionist who demands sky-high standards from staff, the investigation lands at an awkward moment. The board's inquiry will decide what comes next, and Congress is waiting for its turn.