In a massive shock to the global tech world, Nvidia co-founder and CEO Jensen Huang has officially stepped down from his post on Thursday. His sudden exit follows a major controversy involving a secret love affair with a woman suspected of being a Chinese spy.
The scandal began when US media reports revealed that the 63-year-old tech boss was in a close relationship with Alice Huang, a businesswoman running a Singapore-based data firm called Megaspeed. American intelligence agencies suspect that Alice Huang works as an agent for the Chinese government. Because Nvidia makes the world's most advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) chips, the affair raised serious fears about US national security and sensitive technology leaking to China.
While Jensen Huang admitted to being unfaithful to his wife, he denied knowing anything about her alleged spy links. Nvidia board also stated that there is no proof that company secrets or national security were harmed. However, pressure on him became too heavy after another affair with a company executive also came to light this week. Following Huang exit, Nvidia Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Colette Kress, has been appointed as the interim CEO. Meanwhile, Nvidia shares dropped sharply in early trading, leaving investors worried about the future of the AI giant.
