Nvidia Board Opens Probe Into CEO Over Reported Spy Plot
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Nvidia's board of directors has launched an independent investigation into CEO Jensen Huang. The trigger is a set of reports that a Chinese spy operation targeted him, and the board announced the review on Sunday.
An apology to staff
Alongside the announcement, Nvidia published a message Huang sent to employees. In it he admitted an affair with a former executive at Megaspeed, a chip company based in Singapore. He did not name her.
"I owe my family and all of you an apology," Huang wrote. He said he had been unfaithful to his wife and that his actions hurt her and their children. He also said he had "fallen short" of his responsibility to the company.
To colleagues, the board, partners and shareholders he wrote: "you deserve better from me."
Who runs the review
The investigation will be run by independent directors who work with outside legal counsel. The board said Huang supports the review and has committed to cooperating with it.
It also said it has "no reason to believe" that national security or company secrets were compromised. And it said it has confidence in Huang and his leadership team.
The memo behind the reports
A memo circulating among US policymakers earlier this year claimed the former Megaspeed executive, Alice Huang, had been recruited by China's Ministry of State Security to spy on Nvidia's chief executive.
When those earlier reports appeared, Nvidia said the pair's interactions were "not unusual". It added that the company does not share classified information with customers.
Why chips make this sensitive
Washington and Beijing are racing each other in AI, and Nvidia's chips sit near the middle of that contest. Huang also seems to be on good terms with President Donald Trump, a booster of the AI industry.
Spying is not a worry for Nvidia alone. Nvidia is not the only AI-boom company to raise this with staff; others have also warned about spies who offer sex or romance.
The announcement leaves open what exactly the review will examine, how long it will take and whether its findings will be made public.
Source: TechCrunch