Nvidia CEO admits affair with suspected Chinese spy

Summarised from 12 outlets · 14 reports · Updated 8 Nov, 21:20 · Archive

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admitted to an extramarital affair with Alice Huang, a Megaspeed executive allegedly recruited by China's Ministry of State Security to spy on him.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admitted in a message to employees that he had an affair with Alice Huang, an executive at Megaspeed, a Singapore-based technology company that is an Nvidia customer. The admission came after reports revealed that US intelligence officials believed Alice Huang had been recruited by China's Ministry of State Security to spy on the Nvidia CEO. A memo circulated among top Trump administration policymakers last spring contained intelligence identifying Alice Huang as a Chinese spy and detailing her relationship with Jensen Huang.

In his statement to staff, Huang 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 said he had fallen short of his responsibilities to the company, its board, partners and shareholders. Huang is married to Lori Mills Huang and has two adult children; they had been married for 41 years.

Although Huang admitted to the affair, he has not admitted that Alice Huang was a spy. Megaspeed is under investigation by the US Commerce Department over concerns it may have helped Chinese companies circumvent restrictions on purchases of advanced Nvidia chips. Nvidia's chips are central to artificial intelligence development and the US restricts their export to China, viewing them as crucial to maintaining technological supremacy.

Nvidia's board announced on Sunday that it was launching an independent investigation into whether Jensen Huang had been targeted by a foreign intelligence effort. A committee of independent directors, assisted by outside legal counsel, will oversee the inquiry. The board said it had 'no reason to believe that either national security or NVIDIA secrets were compromised', but added that the investigation 'will examine all available information'.

Huang said he fully supports the review and has committed to cooperating with it. An Nvidia spokesperson said Huang remains committed to continuing as CEO without interruption and that the company has confidence in his leadership. The board statement added that Huang's interactions with Alice Huang were 'not unusual' and that Nvidia does not share classified information with its customers.

Republican lawmakers called on Huang to brief Congress about the matter. Three House Republican committee chairs sent a letter requesting he appear for a closed-door briefing on 18 November, saying the reports 'raise significant national security concerns regarding the People's Republic of China's access to sensitive U.S. technology and information'. Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat set to chair the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in January, posted on social media that Congress would investigate and 'get answers'.

The New York Times reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who oversaw the memo identifying Alice Huang as a Chinese spy, knew about Huang's relationship but kept him in Trump's orbit. Despite the intelligence concerns, Huang and his wife were invited to a White House state dinner in September for Chinese President Xi Jinping, where they were seated at the top table with Donald Trump and Xi.

How it is being reported

• Trump-ally and Nvidia AI chip titan Jensen Huang admits to affair with Chinese spyNvidia’s Jensen Huang apologized for the extramarital relationship and the company is investigating him over concerns he’s a ‘target of a foreign intelligence effort’Independent World · 8 Nov, 21:27
• NVIDIA is investigating reports that CEO Jensen Huang was the target of Chinese spy effortsReports by The New York Times and the Financial Times linked the CEO to a woman suspected to be a spy.Engadget · 8 Nov, 21:17
• Nvidia investigates CEO Jensen Huang's relationship with alleged Chinese spyHuang told Nvidia staff in an email that he had an affair and that the company's board has opened an investigation into allegations the woman is a Chinese spy.CNBC · 8 Nov, 21:13
• Nvidia launches probe into claims CEO Jensen Huang was targeted by Chinese spy operationTechnology company Nvidia says it is investigating reports that CEO Jensen Huang had been targeted by a Chinese intelligence effort. The US-based giant says it is initiating an independent investigation into the claims. In a message to Nvidia employees, Mr Huang admitted to being unfaithful to his wife and took "full responsibility" for his actions. The memo, shared with NBC News by the company, said: "I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did. "To my wife and family: I love you. I know an apology cannot undo what I have done. I hope…GB News · 8 Nov, 21:05
• Nvidia opens investigation after report CEO Jensen Huang was target of foreign intelligenceCEO reportedly had close relationship with a Chinese businesswoman who passed information to Beijing Nvidia said on Sunday that it “is initiating an independent investigation in light of recent reporting that founder and CEO Jensen Huang has been the target of a foreign intelligence effort”. Top Republican lawmakers in the US House of Representatives have called on Huang to brief Congress this month about a New York Times report in October alleging he had a close relationship with a Chinese businesswoman who passed information to Beijing. Continue reading...The Guardian · 8 Nov, 21:00
• Nvidia says it’s investigating CEO Jensen Huang’s relationship with possible Chinese spyIn a memo to the company, Huang admitted that he had an affair.TechCrunch · 8 Nov, 21:00
• Nvidia launches investigation into CEO's affair with suspected Chinese spyJensen Huang also admitted to having been "unfaithful "to his wife and apologised for hurting her and their children.BBC News · 8 Nov, 20:55
• CEO of $4.5T chipmaker Nvidia admits affair — as Rubio memo warned lover was Chinese spyWASHINGTON — She only loved him for his chips. Nvidia boss Jensen Huang, whose company produces the world’s most cutting-edge AI chips, admitted to having an affair — amid reports that Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned months ago that his lover was a Chinese spy. Alice Huang, an executive at Megaspeed, which purchased AI...New York Post · 8 Nov, 20:52
• Tech giant Nvidia launches investigation after reports CEO was targeted by Chinese intelligenceTech giant Nvidia says it is investigating reports that CEO Jensen Huang had been targeted by a foreign intelligence effort.Sky News · 8 Nov, 20:41
• Nvidia boss sensationally admits to cheating on wife in Chinese spy scandal as it's revealed Marco Rubio knew about breach but still let billionaire in Trump's orbitNvidia Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang admitted to cheating on his wife with suspected Chinese spy, Alice Huang. He has been married to his wife, Lori Mills Huang, for 41 years.Daily Mail · 8 Nov, 20:38
• Nvidia is investigating Jensen Huang’s relationship with a Chinese spyNvidia has announced that it is opening an investigation into CEO Jensen Huang and his relationship with Megaspeed executive Alice Huang, who was reportedly recruited by China's Ministry of State Security to spy on the company. A statement posted by the board of directors reads: The NVIDIA Board is initiating an independent investigation in light […]The Verge · 8 Nov, 20:22
• Nvidia’s Huang admits to affair after allegations of relationship with Chinese spyTech CEO confirms extramarital relationship in internal message to employeesFinancial Times · 8 Nov, 20:19
• Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang faces bipartisan congressional scrutiny over reported China spy linkLawmakers want to question Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang following reports about his relationship with an alleged Chinese intelligence asset.CNBC · 8 Nov, 18:06
• Megaspeed exec was recruited to spy on Nvidia CEO, according to US intelligence memoA memo circulated earlier this year reportedly claimed that China’s Ministry of State Security recruited a female technology executive to spy on Nvidia's CEO.TechCrunch · 7 Nov, 21:17

In this story: Jensen Huang · Alice Huang · Nvidia · Megaspeed · China Ministry of State Security · United States · China · Singapore

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log