In the autumn of a year defined by the race to build artificial intelligence, the chief executive who turned a maker of gaming chips into the engine of that race now stands at the edge of his own company's future. According to reports citing people familiar with the board's deliberations, Nvidia's directors are weighing whether Jensen Huang, its co-founder, should be removed after personal infidelities, one of which involved a woman suspected of ties to Chinese intelligence. The company has offered no confirmation, and the board's inquiry into whether foreign actors were trying to exploit him
Musk Says Hiring Jensen Huang Would Be an 'Honor' as Reports Say Nvidia's Board Moves to Oust Him
"That would be an honor," Musk wrote, as Nvidia's board weighed Huang's fate
Mark
Musk's reply is the headline, but is it really the story?
Mimi
It's the lively part. The weightier part is the Wall Street Journal report that Nvidia's board is preparing to remove Jensen Huang after two affairs, one with a woman suspected of being a Chinese spy.
Luke
And that's worth being careful about. The Journal cites people familiar with the matter. Nvidia hasn't confirmed any plan to oust him, and it wasn't clear whether a decision had been made.
Mark
What has been confirmed?
Mimi
Huang's own memo on Sunday. He admitted being unfaithful to his wife and took full responsibility, without giving details. The board then opened an investigation into whether a foreign intelligence operation had targeted him.
Luke
Note that the investigation is into whether he was targeted. The spy claim is reported as suspicion, not established fact.
Mark
Why does Musk's response matter beyond the joke?
Mimi
Nvidia supplies his companies. Fortune reported in 2024 that he bought AI chips heavily, and Tesla more than doubled its compute in one quarter. He and Huang also flew with Trump to Beijing in May.
Luke
Still, "honor" is a social media reply, not a job offer. Nothing here says talks are happening.
Mark
And the market?
Mimi
Shares fell about 8% after hours, per Reuters, on a company worth roughly $4 trillion.
Luke
The cause of that drop is inferred, not proven, and the reported lack of a succession plan is one more thing we don't have details on.
Il Polso
- A Wall Street Journal report that the board is preparing to oust Huang has shaken a company valued near four trillion dollars.
- Nvidia shares dropped about eight percent after hours, wiping out an enormous sum of market value in a single stroke.
- The board has opened an investigation into whether a foreign intelligence operation targeted the chief executive, raising the stakes beyond personal scandal.
- Elon Musk and Donald Trump have publicly rallied behind Huang, turning a boardroom matter into a visible political and commercial fight.
- No formal succession plan is reportedly in place, so any removal would leave a major leadership vacuum with no clear path forward.
In the autumn of a year defined by the race to build artificial intelligence, the chief executive who turned a maker of gaming chips into the engine of that race now stands at the edge of his own company's future. According to reports citing people familiar with the board's deliberations, Nvidia's directors are weighing whether Jensen Huang, its co-founder, should be removed after personal infidelities, one of which involved a woman suspected of ties to Chinese intelligence. The company has offered no confirmation, and the board's inquiry into whether foreign actors were trying to exploit him remains unresolved, leaving a company worth roughly four trillion dollars suspended between loyalty, suspicion, and a succession that has never been written down.
On Thursday, a short plea posted on X, asking Elon Musk to hire Jensen Huang, reached close to a million views. Musk answered within hours, calling it an honor. The exchange landed in the middle of a corporate drama that has pulled in markets, politics, and one of the most powerful men in technology.
The story began with a Wall Street Journal report that Nvidia's board was preparing to remove Huang, the company's chief executive, over two extramarital affairs. One reportedly involved a woman suspected of being a Chinese spy. Nvidia has not confirmed any plan to oust him. The matter became public when Huang sent employees a memo acknowledging his infidelity and taking "full responsibility," without offering details. The board then opened an investigation into whether he had been targeted by foreign intelligence. A separate New York Times report said he had also been involved with a company executive.
The market reacted quickly. Nvidia shares fell about eight percent in after-hours trading, a loss of enormous value for a company near four trillion dollars. President Trump has also come to Huang's defense, calling him an honorable man who has done a great job for the country.
The relationships run deeper than headlines. Huang and Musk travelled with Trump to Beijing in May, and Nvidia's chips are central to the AI ambitions of Musk's companies. Huang co-founded Nvidia in 1993 and built it into the dominant supplier of AI processors, which is why his possible departure carries such weight.
What comes next is the board's decision, whether the foreign-targeting inquiry produces findings, and whether Nvidia confirms or denies the reports. If Huang leaves, the harder question will be who leads a company of this size with no succession plan in place.
On Thursday, a financial blog called ZeroHedge posted a short plea on X: "Elon please hire Jensen." Elon Musk answered within hours. "That would be an honor," he wrote. The exchange drew close to a million views, and it landed in the middle of one of the more unusual corporate stories of the year.
The backdrop is a Wall Street Journal report published Wednesday. Citing people familiar with the matter, the paper said Nvidia's board is preparing to remove Jensen Huang, the company's chief executive. The reported reason is two extramarital affairs, one of them with a woman suspected of being a Chinese spy. Directors were said to be meeting as early as Wednesday. It was not immediately clear whether they had reached a decision, and Nvidia has not publicly confirmed any plan to oust him.
The matter became public on Sunday, when Huang sent a memo to employees. In it, he acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife and said he took "full responsibility." He gave no details. The board then opened an investigation into whether he had been targeted by a foreign intelligence operation. The New York Times separately reported that he also had a relationship with a company executive. NDTV Profit's related coverage names that executive as Kimberly Powell, who reports directly to Huang and is now named in a second alleged affair.
The market reacted. According to Reuters, Nvidia shares fell about 8% in after-hours trading. The company is valued at roughly $4 trillion, so a move of that size represents an enormous amount of value.
Musk is not the only prominent figure to side with Huang. President Donald Trump has also reportedly come to his defense while the board investigates, calling Huang an honorable man who has done a great job for the country.
The ties among the three men are practical as well as political. Huang and Musk travelled with Trump on Air Force One to Beijing in May for talks with China's leader. Nvidia is also a key supplier to Musk's companies. Fortune reported in 2024 that Musk was a voracious buyer of Nvidia's AI training chips, and that Tesla more than doubled its compute capacity in a single quarter. Those chips are central to the AI ambitions of Tesla and Musk's other ventures.
Huang co-founded Nvidia in 1993. He built it from a maker of gaming graphics chips into the dominant supplier of processors for artificial intelligence. That history is part of why the stakes are so high: his departure would leave a major leadership vacuum, and no formal succession plan is reportedly in place.
What to watch now is the board's decision, whether the investigation into possible foreign targeting produces findings, and whether Nvidia confirms or denies the reports. If Huang does go, how a $4 trillion company chooses his successor without a plan would be the next question.
Citazioni salienti
That would be an honor.— Elon Musk, on X, replying to ZeroHedge's 'Elon please hire Jensen'
Huang took 'full responsibility' for being unfaithful to his wife, without giving details.— Jensen Huang, memo to Nvidia employees
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