WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Monday (November 9) that the FBI was investigating Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang's relationship with a woman whom US intelligence officials reportedly identified as an alleged Chinese intelligence agent. However, Trump said he did not believe Huang had reason to worry.
"I know the FBI is looking into it in terms of something else, and I think that he'll be in good shape," Trump said at a White House briefing. He said he had spoken to Huang earlier that day. "He said he had absolutely no idea that the person in question was a spy," Trump added.
Huang, one of the world's wealthiest people and a central figure in the artificial intelligence boom, has acknowledged having an extramarital affair. In a message to Nvidia employees, he apologised to his family and colleagues and said he would cooperate with the investigation.
"Regarding the national security concerns raised in news reports, NVIDIA's Board of Directors has initiated an independent investigation. I support the investigation and will cooperate fully. I love our country and our company. I am committed to protecting NVIDIA and supporting America's national security," Huang wrote.
Nvidia's board announced on Sunday that it was launching an independent investigation following reports that Huang had been the target of a foreign intelligence operation. The investigation will be overseen by a committee of independent directors, assisted by outside legal counsel. The board said it had no reason to believe that US national security or Nvidia's confidential information had been compromised.
According to a report by The New York Times, US intelligence officials determined that the woman, identified as Alice Huang, was gathering information for Beijing. She was reportedly a former executive of Singapore-based data centre company Megaspeed International. The woman has not been publicly identified by Huang in his message to employees.
China denied the allegations. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the claims were unsubstantiated and amounted to an attempt to smear China.
Top Democrats, including Senator Mark Warner and Representative Hakeem Jeffries, have called for a full briefing on the matter. George Chen of The Asia Group said the key questions were whether Huang knew about any alleged espionage activities and whether any confidential or strategically sensitive information had been compromised.
Nvidia shares fell 4.3 per cent on Monday, closing at $178.67. The decline came amid broader concerns over the company's leadership and the potential national security implications of the allegations.
Nvidia is a major supplier of specialised graphics processing units (GPUs) and other computing chips used to develop and run artificial intelligence systems. Its hardware is widely used by technology companies and AI developers around the world, making the company a central player in the global AI industry. (with inputs from media organisations)