November 15, 2026, (Inside AI) — Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang resigned on Thursday after a Wall Street Journal report claimed Secretary of State Marco Rubio rewrote a CIA intelligence memo about Huang's alleged ties to a suspected Chinese spy. The memo, which used more assertive language than the original CIA assessment, reportedly triggered a chain of events that led to Huang's departure from the chip giant he co-founded in 1993.
The resignation marks a stunning fall for one of the most influential figures in the AI boom. Huang had become a key voice on artificial intelligence in President Donald Trump's inner circle and had recently secured access to sell chips to China. His exit raises immediate questions about the stability of US AI chip policy and the future of Nvidia's China strategy.
Rubio, who also serves as National Security Advisor, used the CIA report to write his own memo, according to a person familiar with the matter. The report added that several national security officials within the Trump administration were irritated with Huang's influence over the president, two former officials said. When Rubio's observations leaked to the media, the fallout was swift.
Huang admitted to being "unfaithful" to his wife, Lori Huang, and apologized to his family and employees. He is suspected of having had an affair with Alice Huang, a former top executive at Singapore-based data firm Megaspeed, whom US intelligence agencies believe is a Chinese spy.
In a statement, Huang wrote: "I owe my family and all of you an apology. I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did. I am deeply sorry. Throughout my life, my family has loved and supported me. They deserve my honesty and loyalty. Instead, I let them down and damaged the life we built together. I take full responsibility for what I did and the hurt I caused, and I accept the criticism that comes with it."
Trump called Huang a "legend" who had "done a fantastic job." The President also suggested that Tim Cook, who retired as Apple chief earlier this year, should take over from Huang. Rubio, who was recently in Paris for a Group of Seven summit, declined to comment on the controversy when asked by reporters multiple times. When pressed on whether the spying allegations would change his stance in negotiations with Beijing over AI, Rubio said: "The Chinese system is always going to act in the best interest of the Chinese system, and the United States will always act in the best interest of the United States. I work for the American people."
The episode exposes a deepening rift inside the Trump administration over AI policy and China. Huang's access to the president had made him a target for officials who feared his business interests were shaping national security decisions. Nvidia's chips are central to the global AI buildout, and the company's China sales have been a flashpoint in Washington for years.
Huang's resignation also complicates Nvidia's immediate future. The company has not announced a successor, and its stock could face pressure when markets open. Analysts warn that the leadership vacuum comes at a critical moment, as the US and China race to dominate AI infrastructure.
The White House and the CIA declined to comment on the memo. Nvidia did not respond to requests for comment.
Sofia spent years studying how machines parse human language before pivoting to cover the systems now rewriting it. She reads technical papers the way others read news and looking for what the numbers are actually saying beneath the headlines.
