Susanna Riva Nvidia 's CEO has publicly revealed that he had an extramarital affair with a former corporate partner executive, Alice Huang, who has been accused by US intelligence agencies of spying for Beijing. The confession was made in front of company employees, including his children Madison and Spencer, and immediately brought national security concerns to the fore.
US authorities have long monitored the network of contacts between high-tech companies and China, particularly regarding chips intended for artificial intelligence . The export ban to Beijing, introduced during the Trump administration, is considered a key element in preserving America's technological leadership.
CEO's confession and espionage accusations
During his speech, Jensen Huang declared, " I owe my family an apology ," admitting his infidelity and acknowledging the risk of having crossed sensitive interests. Alice Huang, a former executive at an Nvidia client company, has been identified by intelligence agencies as a possible Chinese agent, an accusation the CEO said "I had no idea."
Nvidia's board of directors immediately launched an internal investigation, stating that there is no evidence to suggest corporate secrets or national security were compromised, but that it will examine all available information. Huang promised full cooperation and reiterated that he will continue to serve as CEO during the investigation.
Political, industrial reactions and market consequences
The announcements caused the stock to plunge at the opening of trading: shares fell 8,8% , erasing about $400 billion in value and forcing a subsequent recovery of 4% . With a market capitalization of over $4.300 trillion , Nvidia is a pillar of the AI era.
Donald Trump's statements
President Donald Trump, in an interview, responded to the question by asking Jensen Huang if he knew the woman's nature, to which he replied, "No, I had no idea." Trump then called the man "honorable" and emphasized Nvidia's crucial role in the American economy.
The support of tech moguls
Venture capitalist Shaun Maguire commented: “He did something incredibly stupid, but he’s one of the greatest entrepreneurs of this generation.” Elon Musk also expressed his support: “He’s an incredible person; even incredible human beings make mistakes.” Hedge fund manager Bill Ackman added: “He’s a good person, he’s done a great job for the United States; he should stay on as CEO.”
These defenses come at a sensitive time, as the press had already reported in October, via the New York Times , the first suspicions of a possible espionage operation linked to Huang. The administration briefed Congress to assess the impact on national security, especially in view of Trump's state visit to China for the APEC summit.
Nvidia's future remains uncertain: if the investigation confirms security breaches, the repercussions could include new restrictions on chips and a further deterioration in investor confidence. At the same time, the company continues to lead the artificial intelligence ecosystem with high-performance products, making its stability a critical issue for the entire US technology sector.