Nvidia said on Sunday that its board is launching an independent investigation after reports that founder and chief executive Jensen Huang was the target of a foreign intelligence effort.
A committee of independent directors, assisted by outside independent counsel, will oversee the inquiry, the board said in a statement. The board said it prioritises US national and economic security, and that while it has no reason to believe that either national security or Nvidia secrets were compromised, the inquiry will examine all available information.
Huang fully supports the review and has committed to cooperating with it, the board said, adding that it has confidence in him and his leadership team and will provide further updates as appropriate.
The New York Times reported that US intelligence believes Alice Huang, a former executive at Megaspeed, a Singapore-based Nvidia customer, was recruited by China’s Ministry of State Security to gather information about Jensen Huang, with the alleged aim of obtaining information about American AI chips and potentially influencing Nvidia’s position on advanced chip exports to China. The Financial Times also reported that a US intelligence memo raised questions about Huang’s ties to Alice Huang. China has denied the spying allegations.
CNBC reported that three Republican House committee chairs have requested a closed-door briefing with Huang for 18 November, a day after Nvidia’s third-quarter results call, scheduled for 17 November. Bloomberg reported that Huang also told employees in a memo on Sunday that he had been unfaithful to his wife.
