Nvidia's board of directors said Sunday it is opening an independent investigation following reports that founder and CEO Jensen Huang was the target of a foreign intelligence effort. A committee of independent directors, assisted by outside independent counsel, will oversee the review, and Huang will remain CEO while it proceeds.
In a statement issued at 3 p.m. Eastern on November 8, the Nvidia board said it has no reason to believe that national security or Nvidia secrets were compromised, but that its inquiry will examine all available information. The board said Huang fully supports the review and has committed to cooperating, and that it has confidence in him and his leadership team. It did not name the committee members or the outside counsel, and it gave no timeline.
“I support the investigation and will cooperate fully.”— Jensen Huang, Founder and CEO of Nvidia
The investigation follows reporting by The New York Times that U.S. intelligence officials identified Alice Huang, an executive at Singapore-based technology company Megaspeed, as a Chinese intelligence asset. According to the Times, officials assessed that China's Ministry of State Security recruited her to gather information connected to Huang and Nvidia, and initially did not believe Huang knew of her alleged activities. The assessment has not been tested in court, and no charges have been reported.
Key facts
- 01Nvidia's board announced an independent investigation on November 8, 2026, into reports that Jensen Huang was a foreign intelligence target.
- 02A committee of independent directors, assisted by outside independent counsel, will oversee the review; Huang remains CEO.
- 03The board said it has no reason to believe national security or Nvidia secrets were compromised.
- 04Megaspeed, whose executive Alice Huang is at the center of the reports, bought $4.8B in Nvidia chips over two years, per The New York Times.
- 05Three House committee chairs requested a closed-door briefing with Huang on November 18, the day after Nvidia's Q3 earnings call.
Megaspeed bought $4.8 billion in Nvidia chips over the past two years, according to the Times. Nvidia has described Huang's contacts with her as ordinary customer contacts in which no trade secrets or national security information were shared. China's government called the allegations "groundless speculation."
Huang addressed the matter in a message to employees on Sunday. He acknowledged a personal relationship, wrote that he had been unfaithful to his wife, and apologized to his family. On the national security questions, he wrote that the board had initiated the independent investigation in response to concerns raised in news reports.
“I take full responsibility for what I did and the hurt I caused, and I accept the criticism that comes with it”— Jensen Huang, Founder and CEO of Nvidia
An Nvidia spokesperson said the news "will not slow NVIDIA" and that Huang is committed to continuing to lead the company as CEO without interruption.
Congress was already pressing Huang on the Megaspeed ties before the board acted. Three House Republican committee chairs, Brian Mast of Florida (Foreign Affairs), John Moolenaar of Michigan (Select Committee on China) and Rick Crawford of Arkansas (Intelligence), have asked Huang for a joint, closed-door briefing on November 18 covering his interactions with Alice Huang and Nvidia's safeguards against foreign espionage.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Trump administration officials about Huang's ties to the Megaspeed executive, the Times reported, citing people briefed on the matter. Huang has lobbied the administration to ease restrictions on Nvidia chip sales to China.
The review lands just ahead of Nvidia's next earnings report. The company is scheduled to report third-quarter results on Tuesday, November 17, with a conference call at 2 p.m. Pacific, one day before the requested congressional briefing.
Huang closed his employee message by writing that he loves the country and the company, and that he is committed to protecting Nvidia and supporting America's national security.
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