Nvidia's Jensen Huang apologises to family amid claims of relationship with Chinese spy

Nvidia's chief executive Jensen Huang said he supports an independent investigation announced by the AI company's board of directors days after he was asked to appear before the US Congress to discuss his relationship with an alleged Chinese intelligence agent .

An email obtained by The National written by Mr Huang to the entire company also confirms reports from media outlets that Mr Huang had a romantic relationship with that alleged Chinese spy.

"I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did. I am deeply sorry," he wrote. "My family bears no responsibility for my choices. I do. Please give them privacy."

Mr Huang's admission will reverberate across the industry and perhaps stock markets around the world on Monday, largely because he and Nvidia have lobbied intensely for US President Donald Trump to relax restrictions on US chip exports to China.

We just issued a press release from our board of directors. Read the release: https://t.co/W9yXWJzbkk

— NVIDIA Newsroom (@nvidianewsroom) November 8, 2026

The relationship between the US and China, already filled with distrust and hostility, has intensified in recent years as the US and China compete to be world leader in AI.

"The Nvidia board is initiating an independent investigation in light of recent reporting that founder and CEO Jensen Huang has been the target of a foreign intelligence effort," a statement posted to Nvidia's website read. It added that the investigation will consist of "independent directors" helped by outside "independent counsel".

"The Board prioritises US national and economic security, which is paramount to the interests of Nvidia and its shareholders," the statement read.

It said that although the company's board members have "no reason to believe that either national security or Nvidia secrets were compromised, the board's inquiry will examine all available information".

A representative for the company on Sunday provided a statement to The National shortly after Nvidia's board made the announcement.

"Today's news will not slow Nvidia," it read. "Jensen is committed to continuing to lead Nvidia as CEO without interruption."

Two days ago, Nvidia's communications team rejected any notion that Mr Huang had provided any critical information to a Chinese spy.

Last week, the House of Representatives select committee on the Chinese Communist Party sent a letter to Mr Huang to request that he appear for a closed-door briefing.

The letter, dated Wednesday and signed by the chairman of the House foreign affairs committee and the permanent select committee on intelligence, says Congress is seeking to learn more about “Nvidia's security protocols against foreign adversary espionage” and his reported “interactions” with Megaspeed executive Alice Huang.

Mr Huang, according to reports, is believed to have been working for the Chinese government and sought to pass along AI and semiconductor information to China.

Republican Representatives Brian Mast, John Moolenaar and Eric Crawford told the Nvidia boss in the letter that they have long been concerned about alleged Chinese espionage and the possibility that it could result in the country gaining access to “cutting-edge US technology”.

“Congress determines the extent to which US national security has been placed at risk,” the letter concluded, asking Mr Huang to appear and discuss his interactions with the alleged Chinese agent on November 18.

On Friday, an Nvidia representative told The National that the company has a robust security team that travels with its chief executive “when needed”, and that the company always acts accordingly when it receives updates from the US government about entities of concern.

“We're confident that if the US government believes that any person is a threat to American industry, it would let us know,” the representative added.

Mr Huang has become a familiar face on Capitol Hill over the past year, as he lobbied officials on US technology export policies.

Nvidia's push for relaxed export policies for semiconductors to China has led to increased scrutiny in recent years.

Company executives have insisted that strict export policies designed to improve the US lead over China in AI actually hurt the country and incentivise Beijing to use its own technology and develop in-house infrastructure.

Critics say that by loosening export restrictions, the US is giving away its most important advantage to an adversary.

The letter to Mr Huang was sent a day after the Republicans lost control of Congress in the midterm elections.

Many Democrats across the country campaigned on trying to make Big Tech executives more accountable, pushing for AI regulation and casting a critical eye on data centres – and all this might be bad news for Nvidia and Mr Huang.

Democrats have also indicated that they will intensify investigations into what they view as the largely unregulated tech sector during President Donald Trump's second term.

Mr Huang's email also contained a message to his family.

"To my wife and family: I love you. I know an apology cannot undo what I have done," his email read.

"I hope our family will heal and that, over time, I can earn back your trust."

Mr Huang is scheduled to give the keynote address on November 30 in Washington during the company's much-anticipated GTC exhibition. It is not yet clear if he will still be giving that address.