Nvidia has launched an independent investigation into its co-founder and CEO Jensen Huang, accusing him of being a target of Chinese intelligence.
“In light of recent reports that founder and CEO Jensen Huang has been targeted by foreign intelligence agencies, Nvidia’s board of directors is initiating an independent investigation,” Nvidia’s board of directors said in a statement on Sunday. “A committee of independent directors will oversee the investigation with the assistance of outside independent counsel.”
The board said it had no reason to believe the company’s confidentiality or national security had been compromised.
“The Board of Directors prioritizes U.S. national and economic security, which is critical to the interests of NVIDIA and its shareholders,” the statement read.
A company spokesman said Huang “fully supports the review” and is committed to continuing to lead the company.
The New York Times reported last month that U.S. authorities were investigating Chinese businesswoman Alice Huang, a former executive at Singapore-based Megaspeed, which purchased artificial intelligence chips from Nvidia. The report pointed out that Huang Renxun has a close relationship with Huang Aili, and U.S. intelligence officials believe that Huang Aili is a spy for the Chinese Ministry of State Security.
Last month, China denied accusations of Chinese espionage against Huang, calling the accusations “baseless speculation,” CBS News partner BBC News reported.
Separately, Huang admitted in a message to his employees that he had been “unfaithful” to his wife and apologized for hurting her and their children.
“There is no excuse for what I did. I am deeply sorry,” he said in a statement.
Huang said he failed to fulfill his responsibilities to the company’s employees, board of directors and shareholders. He said he was “fully committed to NVIDIA” and would work to win back their trust.
“NVIDIA’s board of directors has launched an independent investigation into the national security concerns raised in news reports,” he said in a statement. “I support the investigation and will cooperate fully.”
“I love our country and our company. I am committed to protecting NVIDIA and supporting America’s national security. I am proud and grateful to be an American,” he added.
Alice Huang is a former Chinese television journalist who later became a senior executive at Singapore-based data center company Megaspeed, which has become one of Nvidia’s largest customers in Southeast Asia. According to the Times, Megaspeed has purchased more than $4.8 billion worth of Nvidia chips over the past two years.
Asked about the report on Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he could not comment, calling it an “internal company matter.”