Huang's exit puts Nvidia leadership, AI policy in focus

Detailed summary

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang [Photo/Agencies] Jensen Huang abruptly stepped down as Nvidia's chief executive on Thursday, four days after admitting to an extramarital affair, leaving t…

By LIA ZHU in San Francisco | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2026-11-13 11:22

Jensen Huang abruptly stepped down as Nvidia's chief executive on Thursday, four days after admitting to an extramarital affair, leaving the chipmaker facing a leadership transition and raising questions about the direction of the AI industry and US chip export policy.

Nvidia's board announced that Huang, the company's co-founder, had resigned as president, chief executive and a board member, effective immediately. Colette Kress, executive vice-president and chief financial officer, will serve as interim chief executive while the board considers internal and external candidates for a permanent replacement.

The departure followed media reports alleging three extramarital affairs, including two involving Nvidia employees. The other woman, whom Huang admitted to having an affair with, was a Chinese businesswoman.

Following the news, Nvidia shares fell as much as 14 percent before recovering most of their losses to close 4.3 percent lower at $166.19, leaving the company with a market value of $4.01 trillion.

The leadership change has created uncertainty for a company central to the AI industry, but its immediate implications may be more limited than the initial market reaction suggested, Ker Gibbs, former president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, told China Daily.

"Jensen Huang played an important role in maintaining customer relationships, but demand for Nvidia's products remains strong, and his departure doesn't change that," said Gibbs, author of The Fragile Dragon: China's Strengths and the Limits to its Power.

He said the stock was down about 30 percent from its October peak, although much of the decline preceded the scandal and reflected broader concerns about AI valuations.

The reaction so far has largely been specific to Nvidia, Gibbs said, noting that the broader market and other chip stocks rose this week.

Opening of the article, excerpted from China Daily Business. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.