‘I take full responsibility for what I did’ — Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang apologises to staff and family over affair as company probes his ties to alleged Chinese spy

Nvidia, the US chipmaker, saw its shares plummet by 4% following the announcement of an independent investigation into its chief executive, Jensen Huang, for an alleged affair with an alleged Chinese spy. The company's probe was sparked by reports that China had targeted Huang in an espionage campaign; however, China has dismissed these claims as "entirely groundless, speculative, and intended to smear and malign China."

While Nvidia maintains no reason to believe its secrets or national security were compromised, the board of directors decided to initiate the investigation due to recent reporting on Huang's alleged foreign intelligence involvement. US intelligence officials have reported Alice Huang, also known as Huang Le, as a potential Chinese spy, according to a New York Times report.

Huang admitted to being unfaithful to his wife and apologized for hurting her and their children, stating his commitment to protecting Nvidia and supporting America's national security. The co-founder has also been requested to participate in a closed-door briefing for several Congressional committees next week, with US House Foreign Affairs Committee members expressing concerns about the potential risk to US national security.

The news has not gone unnoticed by other prominent tech figures, with Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump expressing support for Huang's continued leadership of the firm. The market value of Nvidia, however, has suffered a significant hit, with about $250 billion wiped off its market value following the announcement of the investigation.