The announcement came after The New York Times and the Financial Times reported on Huang's relationship with Alice Huang, a Chinese citizen who is not related to him. According to those outlets, Alice Huang's Singapore-based company was purchasing Nvidia's advanced chips, and U.S. intelligence agencies had placed her under surveillance. The reports said those agencies concluded she had been recruited to spy by China's top intelligence agency.

Nvidia said a committee of independent directors, assisted by outside independent counsel, will oversee the inquiry.

"The NVIDIA Board is initiating an independent investigation in light of recent reporting that founder and CEO Jensen Huang has been the target of a foreign intelligence effort," the company said in a statement. "The Board prioritizes U.S. national and economic security, which is paramount to the interests of NVIDIA and its shareholders."

The board added that the company "has no reason to believe that either national security or NVIDIA secrets were compromised," while noting that its inquiry "will examine all available information."

In a memo to employees that the company shared with NBC News, Huang addressed the reports directly, acknowledging infidelity to his wife.

"I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did," Huang wrote. "To my wife and family: I love you. I know an apology cannot undo what I have done. I hope our family will heal and that, over time, I can earn back your trust."

He also apologized to colleagues, the board, partners and shareholders. "You deserve better from me. Leading NVIDIA is the privilege of my life. My responsibility is to serve you and be worthy of your trust. I have fallen short of that responsibility. I am fully committed to NVIDIA and will work to earn back your confidence."

An Nvidia spokesperson told NBC News that "today's news will not slow" the company and that Huang was "committed to continuing to lead NVIDIA as CEO without interruption."

The Times reported Sunday that concerns within the U.S. government about Alice Huang and Jensen Huang rose to the level of involving Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The Financial Times reported Friday that the U.S. government believed Jensen Huang had a romantic relationship with Alice Huang. In response to that story, the FT reported that Nvidia declined to comment and said Jensen Huang meets "thousands of customer executives every year" as any CEO normally does.

NBC News said it had not independently confirmed either report and had reached out to the Trump administration for comment.

The scrutiny lands on a company whose products are among the most sought-after in the world and whose top-tier chips are largely restricted from sale to customers in China over national security concerns. Huang has become a prominent ambassador for the AI industry, appearing alongside President Donald Trump, King Charles and at conferences to promote the company and the technology's promised economic payoff.

The episode raises questions about the intersection of global commerce, national security and the personal conduct of one of Silicon Valley's most visible executives. For Bay Area workers, investors and the broader tech ecosystem that has grown around Nvidia, the board's inquiry will be watched closely as a test of corporate governance at a company whose chips underpin much of the modern AI economy.