Jensen Huang’s Final Hours at Nvidia: ‘Whatever,’ ‘I Don’t Care’ and a Stunning CEO Exit

Jensen Huang’s confidence reportedly crumbled this week as he faced the prospect of losing his position at Nvidia over a series of alleged affairs, including one involving a suspected Chinese spy. As the scandal threatened to bring his tenure to an end, Huang reportedly turned on himself, describing himself as a “piece of s–t.”

Huang’s demeanor changed completely on Wednesday as he approached his final hours leading the chipmaker that he had built into a $4 trillion powerhouse, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. He reportedly began using expressions such as “whatever” and “I don’t care,” while repeatedly referring to himself as a “piece of s–t.”

Fighting with His Demon

The billionaire, widely regarded as the public face of the AI boom, saw his fortunes unravel rapidly. He had repeatedly insisted that his ties to Alice Huang, an executive at Singapore-based Megaspeed who is not related to him, were strictly professional and nothing more than a routine business association.

After media reports alleged that Huang’s relationship with the suspected Chinese spy was romantic, Nvidia General Counsel Tim Teter went to the CEO’s home to confront him. Huang admitted to the relationship, according to Bloomberg and The Information.

The board was said to be reluctant to take immediate action, but Teter compelled its members to issue a public announcement.

On Wednesday, The New York Times reported that Huang had also been involved in a second alleged affair with Kimberly Powell, Nvidia’s vice president of health care.

Reports said the board convened an emergency meeting late that night, after which Huang was forced to resign.

On Thursday, Reuters reported that Huang had been involved in a third alleged affair, this time with another Nvidia employee whose identity has not been disclosed. The Information also reported that Huang had retained Paul Weiss, a prominent law firm, on the same day.

Huang said he was unconcerned about his own fate, according to The Information. Instead, he was focused on his wife and did not want to “ruin the lives” of the several women now associated with the allegations.

Only a few months ago, Nvidia was riding high. Its shares reached a record peak in October, while Huang’s personal wealth climbed past $200 billion, Forbes reported. Huang had also developed a strong rapport with President Trump and enjoyed celebrity-like status in his native Taiwan.

How Things Unfolded

The controversy began gaining momentum in late October, when The New York Times reported that Huang had become the subject of a Chinese espionage operation involving Alice Huang. Several days later, the Financial Times disclosed that a secret government memo, prepared months earlier, had characterized their relationship as romantic.

Nvidia’s board announced on Sunday that it would launch an investigation into the allegations. The company brought in Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, the law firm that previously investigated sexual harassment claims involving former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, to oversee the probe.

Later that day, Huang emailed Nvidia employees, acknowledging the affair and apologizing to shareholders and business partners. He also expressed regret to his family.

Huang has been married to his wife, Lori, for more than four decades. Their two children and son-in-law are also employed by Nvidia.

According to Bloomberg, Huang privately assured the company’s senior executives that his relationship with Alice was the only time he had been unfaithful during his marriage. However, subsequent reports surfaced alleging two additional affairs involving other Nvidia executives.

Huang, who co-founded Nvidia 33 years ago, maintained an unusually tight grip on the company. Reports said he had 60 direct reports, remained deeply involved in daily operations and even weighed in on decisions as routine as setting pay for junior staff.

He was also known for responding to emails almost immediately, regardless of the time. But Bloomberg reported that his replies had begun taking longer than usual.

Huang’s extensive involvement in Nvidia’s operations helps explain why investors feared the company could struggle without him at the helm. Those concerns contributed to a sell-off that wiped more than $450 billion from Nvidia’s market value.

Meanwhile, Huang is preparing to testify before Congress. He has agreed to meet privately with the chairs of House committees overseeing China, foreign affairs and intelligence in a joint session before Congress adjourns for the Thanksgiving holiday next Friday.