Fake Lianhe Zaobao report claims ex-Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang joins Hong Kong university

Local Chinese-language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao on November 14th disputed a fake news report that former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang had joined a university in Hong Kong. The article, which used Lianhe Zaobao's logo and layout to appear legitimate, claimed that Huang had become a professor and strategic consultant at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and would be participating in research in AI and computing fields.

It also stated that Huang would be taking in PhD students from two of the university's campuses. However, the daily newspaper pointed out discrepancies in the report, such as the use of a reporter's byline who had already left Lianhe Zaobao, as well as the incorrect newspaper price. The real photo used in the fake report was from Huang's visit to HKUST in November 2024, when he was conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering.

The fact-checking newspaper highlighted the prevalence of both accurate and false reports surrounding Huang in recent days and underscored the importance of being vigilant amidst the surge of information. Formerly the CEO of Nvidia, Huang resigned on November 12th after multiple reports of extramarital affairs, one of which involved a woman suspected to be a Chinese spy.

His resignation led to a significant drop in Nvidia's market valuation, and US lawmakers summoned Huang for questioning in December. The scandal also sparked a wave of memes using AI-generated video and images, with Huang reportedly expressing frustration and indifference in his final days before resigning.