Insiders predict Jensen Huang ‘will have a second act’ as resurfaced images show him embracing alleged Chinese spy

Résumé détaillé

Silicon Valley leaders predict that despite the scandal, it’s not over for the 63-year-old Nvidia co-founder

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Newly resurfaced images show former Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang in an embrace with Alice Huang, a former data center executive suspected of being a Chinese spy, as Silicon Valley leaders predict the ousted tech billionaire is poised for a comeback.

The images, taken by Reuters news agency after Jensen Huang delivered a keynote speech at a conference in Taipei, Taiwan, in June 2024, show the pair embracing, with the tech mogul’s hand on her waist. The pair reportedly began associating in December 2023.

Despite his abrupt exit from the chipmaker this week, multiple tech executives and investors expect the 63-year-old entrepreneur to return to a prominent leadership role in the industry.

Tech insiders told Politico they anticipated Jensen Huang returning to a significant leadership position, while others said they would not be surprised if he did. Several suggested it would be easier for Jensen Huang — whose net worth is estimated at $145 billion — to launch a new venture rather than join an established public company.

“That kind of influence doesn’t just disappear overnight,” Joseph Hoefer, chief AI officer at the lobbying firm Monument Advocacy, told Politico. “I wouldn’t confuse losing his position with losing his ability to shape what comes down the road.”

Tech figures including Anduril founder Palmer Luckey and Perplexity AI CEO Aravind Srinivas have publicly defended Huang, while SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has floated the possibility of hiring him.

However, Scott Gerber, a partner at the tech strategy consultancy Vrge, told Politico that the espionage allegations “would make it much harder for any public company to bring him on board in a leadership role.”

The national security narrative surrounding Alice Huang, a former senior executive at Singapore-based data center company Megaspeed of no relation, has faced pushback from some lawmakers and…

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