The board of directors of Nvidia announced on Sunday (8) the opening of an independent investigation after reports indicated that its founder and CEO, Jensen Huang, had been the target of a foreign intelligence operation. The inquiry will be overseen by a committee of independent directors, with support from outside lawyers.
The decision represents a new development in the previously disclosed suspicions about the executive. According to the Associated Press, Huang acknowledged having had an extramarital relationship with a businesswoman who, according to a report by The New York Times, had allegedly provided information to the Chinese government.
The allegations raised concerns about the security of corporate information and strategic technologies, but there is no public conclusion that confidential data were compromised.
Board says it has no reason to believe information was leaked
In a statement released on November 8, the board said it had “no reason to believe that national security or Nvidia secrets were compromised”.
The company stressed, however, that the investigation will examine all available information. The statement represents the institutional assessment at that time, not a definitive conclusion about the suspicions.
Huang agreed to cooperate with the inquiry and will remain at the helm of Nvidia. The board also reaffirmed its confidence in the executive and the leadership team. A company spokesperson confirmed to the Associated Press that Huang will continue performing his duties during the investigation.
The case involves one of the main suppliers of processors used in the development of artificial intelligence. Nvidia's advanced chips are also subject to export restrictions imposed by the United States to limit Chinese access to strategic technologies.
The board said it will disclose new updates when it considers appropriate, but it has not set a public deadline for completing the investigation.
