Nvidia's board announced an independent investigation into CEO Jensen Huang following reports that he was targeted by a Chinese spy operation. The board published a message from Huang admitting to an affair with Alice Huang, a former executive at Singapore-based chip company Megaspeed. A memo circulating among U.S. policymakers claimed Alice Huang had been recruited by China's Ministry of State Security to spy on Nvidia's CEO.
"I owe my family and all of you an apology," 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."
Huang said he had "fallen short" of his responsibility to the company. "To my colleagues at NVIDIA, including those I have worked alongside for decades, and to our board, partners, and shareholders around the world: you deserve better from me," he added.
Nvidia's board said it has "no reason to believe" that national security or company secrets were compromised. The board stated that Huang "fully supports the review and has committed to cooperating with it," and that it has "confidence in Jensen and his leadership team." Independent directors will conduct the investigation with outside legal counsel.
Earlier, Nvidia said interactions between Huang and Alice Huang were "not unusual," and that the company does not share classified information with customers. Other AI companies have warned employees to watch for possible spies, including those using romance as a recruiting tactic.