The Nvidia co-founder, once known for his relentless energy and extraordinary attention to detail, appeared broken by the mounting controversy
The company’s shares fell 4.3% on Thursday after an opening drop of around 14%, recovering some ground during the session. Nvidia’s troubles have also added to pressure on the broader technology market, given its significant contribution to gains in the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite. Jensen Huang’s final hours as Nvidia chief executive were marked by exhaustion, resignation and an apparent surrender after weeks of fighting to hold on to his position amid allegations of extramarital affairs and links to a suspected Chinese spy, Bloomberg reported. The New York Times also reported that Huang had a second alleged affair with an Nvidia executive who reported directly to him.
Citing a person familiar with the situation, Huang’s usual take-charge demeanour had disappeared, according to Bloomberg. Instead, he had started using phrases such as “whatever” and “I don’t care The Nvidia co-founder, once known for his relentless energy and extraordinary attention to detail, appeared broken by the mounting controversy. Less than a week after admiting infidelity and being embroiled in an alleged espionage plot by a Chinese spy, Huang’s resistance had seemingly collapsed by late Wednesday night. Further reports identified the executive as company vice-president Kimberly Powell. The controversy has also raised questions about Nvidia’s business and its standing amid growing scrutiny of the artificial intelligence sector.