The chief executive of Nvidia, the world's most valuable company and a close ally of US President Donald Trump, has admitted to having an affair with a woman suspected of being a Chinese spy.
asserted
executive → admit → woman
Jensen Huang, who heads the tech giant that dominates the world's AI chip industry, sent a memo to staff acknowledging the affair after reports emerged the woman worked for China's Ministry of State Security.
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woman → head → Security
Nvidia's board has launched an independent investigation into whether Mr Huang was the target of a foreign intelligence effort.
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Huang → launch → effort
What has been reported?
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What → report → ?
The story centres on the Nvidia chief executive's relationship with Alice Huang, a Chinese citizen and executive at Singapore-based data centre company Megaspeed, a customer of Nvidia.
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story → centre → Nvidia
In October, The New York Times reported Megaspeed was under scrutiny for possibly steering advanced Nvidia AI chips to Beijing, which are barred from shipment to China.
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which → report → China
US officials reportedly concluded Ms Huang was a Chinese intelligence asset and developed a close relationship with Mr Huang.
uncertain
Huang → conclude → Huang
The NYT reported Mr Trump was briefed on the intelligence findings about a year ago and did nothing.
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Trump → report → nothing
Further reporting over the weekend said US officials had intelligence Ms Huang was working for China's Ministry of State Security.
The Financial Times also reported the development, saying a memo circulated among top policymakers shortly before Mr Trump flew to Beijing for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this year.
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Trump → say → Jinping
The Chinese government dismissed the NYT report as "groundless speculation".
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government → dismiss → speculation
Mr Huang is an influential ally of Mr Trump and a leading figure in the US's efforts to dominate the AI race against China.
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Huang → lead → China
Mr Huang co-founded California-based Nvidia in 1993 and has served as president and chief executive ever since.
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- → co → president
Leading AI companies such as Anthropic and OpenAI rely on Nvidia's hardware to operate, so the company wields a lot of power in the US and across the industry.
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company → lead → industry
Nvidia surpassed Microsoft in June 2025 to become the world's most valuable company.
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Nvidia → surpass → June
A recent Forbes report said the company hit a market capitalisation of more than $US5 trillion ($7 trillion).
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company → say → trillion
Mr Huang previously lobbied Mr Trump to lift a ban on the sale of advanced AI chips to China, arguing the restrictions accelerate Beijing's own development of the technology.
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restrictions → lobby → technology
Mr Huang was born in Taiwan and raised in Thailand before he emigrated alone to the US to attend boarding school at 10 years old.
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he → bear → school
He met his wife, Lori, at university and the pair have been married for over 40 years.
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pair → meet → years
What do we know about the investigation?
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we → know → investigation
Nvidia announced on Sunday, local time, it had launched an independent probe "in light of recent reporting that founder and CEO Jensen Huang has been the target of a foreign intelligence effort".
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Huang → announce → effort
It said while the company's board had "no reason to believe" either US national security or Nvidia secrets were compromised, the probe would "examine all available information".
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probe → say → information
Nvidia said a committee of independent directors, assisted by outside independent counsel, would oversee the investigation.
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committee → say → investigation
Mr Huang will remain chief executive during the inquiry.
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Huang → remain → inquiry
"Today's news will not slow Nvidia," company spokesperson John Rizzo said in a statement.
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Rizzo → slow → statement
"Jensen is committed to continuing to lead Nvidia as CEO without interruption."
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Jensen → commit → interruption
It is unclear if the CIA is also investigating.
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CIA → investigate → ?
The White House and CIA declined to comment to both the NYT and FT.
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House → decline → NYT
Ms Huang could not be reached for comment by either outlet.
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Huang → reach → outlet
What has Huang said?
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Huang → say → What
Shortly before Nvidia announced the probe, Mr Huang admitted to his affair with Ms Huang in a lengthy memo to staff.
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Huang → announce → staff
He said he was "unfaithful" to his wife and there was "no excuse" for his actions, adding he was "deeply sorry".
Addressing the "national security concerns raised in news reports", he said he would fully cooperate with the investigation.
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he → say → investigation
He said he was "committed to protecting NVIDIA and supporting America's national security".
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he → say → security
I owe my family and all of you an apology.
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I → owe → apology
My actions hurt her and our children.
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actions → hurt → her
There is no excuse for what I did.
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I → be → what
Throughout my life, my family has given me love and support.
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family → give → love
They deserve my honesty and loyalty.
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They → deserve → honesty
Instead, I let them down and damaged the life we built together.
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we → let → life
I take full responsibility for what I did and the hurt I caused, and I accept the criticism that comes with it.
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that → take → it
To my wife and family: I love you.
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I → love → you
…and 31 more, not listed.
The Aporia
