Tech & AI
Senate Testimony Demanded From Huang and Lutnick on Dec. 3 as Nvidia Scandal Widens
Senate testimony from Jensen Huang and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is now being demanded for Dec. 3, as Congress moves to examine national security questions surrounding Nvidia. Huang resigned as the chipmaker’s chief executive on Thursday.
Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott, a South Carolina Republican, sent letters to both men Thursday evening asking them to appear at a public hearing. He made clear the request carries teeth. If either declines to come voluntarily, the committee could issue a subpoena, and Al Jazeera reported the pair could face legal action.
What triggered the demand for Senate testimony
The scandal centers on revelations that Huang had extramarital affairs. One was with a woman whom, according to The New York Times, US officials concluded had been recruited by China’s main spy agency. Beijing has denied allegations of spying on the US. The sources describe the claims as suspicions and reported findings, and no charges against anyone are mentioned.
Scott framed the stakes in a post on X: “Recent reports raise serious concerns about our national security and the protection of sensitive U.S. technology. The American people deserve answers.”
Pressure on the Commerce Department
Lutnick’s presence on the list shows the inquiry reaches beyond one executive. His department was required to review companies for national security risks before the Trump administration allowed Nvidia to sell advanced chips to China last year. Critics now allege Nvidia did not get proper scrutiny. Lawmakers have also accused Commerce of declining to add dozens of Chinese companies to a US trade blacklist.
Under Secretary of Commerce Jeffrey Kessler has been summoned for a Dec. 3 hearing as well. Two top Democrats on congressional committees wrote to Lutnick separately, saying they are investigating. Senator Richard Blumenthal told Al Jazeera he was troubled by allegations that Nvidia donated $25,000 to the Trump administration. Those allegations come from the sources’ accounts and are not established here.
A bipartisan push that reaches beyond the Senate
Resignation has not eased the pressure. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Congress must “demand answers” from Huang. He also called on the administration to explain what it did once it learned of the relationship. Senator Elizabeth Warren, the Banking Committee’s top Democrat, said the resignation “does not absolve him, other executives or the company as a whole” of responsibility.
The Senate is not alone. Al Jazeera reported that three House committees have asked Huang and Nvidia General Counsel Tim Teter to appear on Dec. 1 and 2, or face subpoenas. The chairs of the Foreign Affairs, China Select and Intelligence committees wrote that “there are clear national security concerns that need to be addressed immediately.” The Times said House Republicans are in talks with Huang about testifying, and that Huang has hired lawyers who have represented executives in government investigations.
Markets, Beijing and Trump
The fallout is spreading. Nvidia’s market value has dropped below $4 trillion for the first time since July 2025. China’s foreign ministry warned that tighter US semiconductor export rules would threaten the stability of global industry and supply chains, and said Beijing opposes the “abuse of export control measures.” Meanwhile, US lawmakers have called for limits on chip equipment exports to China.
President Trump, who has called Huang “honourable,” is heading to China amid the controversy. Whether Huang and Lutnick will give Senate testimony voluntarily, or only under subpoena, is the next question for a hearing that could shape US policy on advanced chip exports.
- Nvidia’s Huang, Lutnick summoned to testify to US Senate (aljazeera.com)
- Huang and Lutnick Summoned to Testify Before Congress (nytimes.com)
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File photo: Jen-Hsun Huang 2025.jpg by The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
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Tech & AI
ChatGPT Wallet Lets OpenAI’s Dots Spend Your Money, but Only With a Face ID or Fingerprint Check
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OpenAI has launched ChatGPT Wallet, a payment feature that allows its Dots personal AI agents to buy things on a user’s behalf. The rollout began November 13 and is deliberately narrow: it is limited to ChatGPT Pro subscribers in the United States, who must be 18 or older and hold a US-issued Visa, Mastercard, or American Express card.
How ChatGPT Wallet handles payments
The core design choice is that the agent never sees a real card. A user adds a card once. When a Dot helps with a purchase, the user reviews the items, the total, and the card selected, then approves with a security check such as Face ID or a fingerprint scan. After approval, the payment network issues a payment token that stands in for the card number, security code, and expiration date. The charge lands on the user’s chosen card, and neither the merchant nor the agent receives the underlying details. Each approval also produces a record of what the user authorized.
OpenAI describes the product as the first wallet that lets agents pay without access to actual card details while requiring a security check on every purchase. That is the company’s own claim, and the sources do not independently verify it. OpenAI also says existing card rewards are preserved and that protections for eligible disputes are unaffected, which addresses two obvious worries for anyone considering handing shopping tasks to software.
From approval at every step to full delegation
For now, the human stays in the loop on every transaction. OpenAI’s stated ambition goes further, though. The company says it expects users to eventually delegate purchases entirely, setting parameters such as spending limits, purchase categories, or time windows, and pre-approving buying within those bounds. It says those arrangements would build on current protections, including biometric checks and clear records of authorization.
That distinction matters. The current version of ChatGPT Wallet is closer to a smart checkout assistant than an autonomous shopper. The more consequential, and riskier, step is the one OpenAI describes as coming later.
A cautious launch with a retail obstacle
OpenAI says it is starting with limited availability so it can learn from real-world use and work with businesses, banks, and payment networks on compatibility and reliability. It also released a Commerce Partner Playbook, which it describes as tools and practical guidance for businesses that want to support customers using agents. One stated goal is ensuring agents can actually reach merchants’ sites.
That goal runs into a growing problem. ChatGPT Wallet will not work on websites that block agents, and more are doing so. Android Authority reports that Amazon moved to block Meta’s Muse from shopping on its site almost immediately, citing GeekWire, and that United Airlines this week announced a policy restricting agent access to its digital platforms, both directly and indirectly through travel agencies and aggregators. A wallet is only useful if merchants let the agent through the door.
The trust question
Merchants are not the only audience to win over. Android Authority notes that consumers hear regularly about AI systems that hallucinate, as well as OpenAI’s own admissions about its models being involved in cybersecurity breaches. Asking people to let an agent near their money is a bigger leap than asking it to draft an email. Requiring a biometric check on every purchase, and keeping real card numbers out of the agent’s reach, looks designed to lower that barrier.
Whether it is enough will depend on how reliably Dots complete purchases, how many retailers cooperate, and whether OpenAI can expand beyond a small group of paying US subscribers. For now, ChatGPT Wallet is an early test of whether shoppers and stores are ready for agents that spend.
- OpenAI rolls out ChatGPT Wallet to let Dots AI agents make purchases (androidauthority.com)
- OpenAI launches ChatGPT Wallet, enabling ‘dot’ agents to make purchases (9to5mac.com)
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Tech & AI
Bessent Says Commerce “Has the Pen” on Megaspeed Entity List as Lutnick Faces December Senate Hearing
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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has publicly pushed responsibility for the Megaspeed entity list decision onto Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, a rare open split inside the Trump administration as the Nvidia scandal moves from the boardroom to the cabinet table.
“Commerce has the pen,” Bessent told CNBC on Friday, adding that reporters would “have to ask them about their internal process.” He said several agencies had favored blacklisting the Singapore-based cloud computing company “for months,” and that he was frustrated by the delay and by reports of advanced AI chips leaking into China.
Why the Megaspeed entity list matters
The entity list is a trade blacklist that restricts US companies from doing business with named firms, and it is administered by Lutnick’s department. Megaspeed is not on it, even though, according to reports cited by the BBC, US agencies had examined whether it was smuggling Nvidia chips into China. The New York Times reported that Commerce itself investigated the company last year. The Financial Times separately reported that the department was slowing efforts to add it.
Business Insider, citing an Axios report, says Bessent confronted Lutnick in the Situation Room over why Megaspeed had not been added. Bessent declined to discuss what happens in that room but did not deny the account. Commerce did not immediately respond to Business Insider’s request for comment, and Megaspeed has also been approached for comment.
The scandal behind the standoff
The dispute follows the exit of Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang. Nvidia’s board announced he had resigned, a departure the BBC describes as an ousting. The New York Times reported that he had an affair with Alice Huang, a senior Megaspeed executive whom US officials suspected of being a Chinese intelligence asset. Huang apologized to staff for the affair in a note but did not mention her or the espionage claims. China has repeatedly denied that she was a spy. The suspicions are reported allegations, and no sources describe any charges or findings.
Bessent tried to steer attention away from the personal drama. “The story has been thus far on Jensen Huang’s personal foibles,” he said. “The real story here should be, did Nvidia know their client?” He questioned whether the company made a robust effort to prevent leakage and whether it was selling to “obviously pass-through shell companies,” adding that anyone at the company should be held accountable. That makes clear Huang’s departure is unlikely to end scrutiny of Nvidia.
Congress closes in on Commerce
Pressure on Lutnick is coming from several directions. He has been summoned to appear before the Senate Banking Committee in December, and Huang has also been called to testify. Committee chairman Tim Scott, a Republican, said the reports “raise serious concerns about our national security and the protection of sensitive US technology.”
Democrats are asking for records. Ways and Means ranking member Richard Neal and Senate Finance ranking member Ron Wyden have asked Commerce to retain all communications about Nvidia and Huang, and they are opening their own investigations. They point to an arrangement under which Nvidia’s H200 chips could be sold to Chinese firms if first routed from Taiwan through the United States for inspection, with a 25% tariff applied. They argue the trade statute behind that tariff was meant to protect national security and that its use here “appears to have done the opposite.”
Bessent stressed that President Trump has said China should receive no Nvidia chips above the H100 level, and said Chinese firms are nonetheless reaching more capable hardware. “There is a lot of leakage in the system,” he said.
An old rivalry in public view
The BBC notes that tensions between Bessent and Lutnick are not new. The two reportedly competed for the Treasury post before Trump’s return to office and clashed last year over tariff policy. What is different now is that the disagreement is being aired on live television.
Lutnick’s December testimony will probably be the first chance for lawmakers to ask why the Megaspeed entity list question went unresolved for so long, and whether Commerce’s process, or Nvidia’s own checks, let restricted chips slip through.
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Tech & AI
Nvidia Interim CEO Colette Kress Inherits a Company Whose Value Just Fell Below $4 Trillion
Colette Kress, the chipmaker’s finance chief for 13 years, is now the Nvidia interim CEO, taking over after Jensen Huang resigned amid revelations about extramarital affairs and a national security controversy. Her task is to steady a company that sits at the center of the artificial intelligence boom while it searches for a permanent leader.
What happened at Nvidia
According to the sources, Huang admitted over the weekend to an extramarital affair with a businesswoman whom U.S. intelligence officials have reportedly identified as a suspected Chinese intelligence asset. The New York Times separately reported a second relationship, with a vice president who reported directly to him. Nvidia confirmed Huang’s departure on Thursday, and the resignation took effect immediately. Fox Business described it as the board’s ouster of Huang, while other outlets describe a resignation.
The board named Harvey C. Jones its first-ever chairman and said it would consider both internal and external candidates for the top job. Kress keeps her finance duties while she runs the company. The FBI and U.S. lawmakers are examining the national security implications, including Nvidia’s ties to Megaspeed International. Nvidia says there is no evidence that company secrets or security were compromised. The spy allegations are reported claims, and the sources do not describe any finding of wrongdoing.
Who is the Nvidia interim CEO?
Kress, 59, joined Nvidia in 2013 after spending almost 25 years in finance roles at major technology companies. She has said her sons first pointed her to the company because of its reputation in video games, and she once called it the smallest company she had worked for. Revenue was $4.13 billion in the year she arrived and $215.9 billion in fiscal 2026, according to Fox Business. Forbes ranks her No. 32 among America’s richest self-made women, with an estimated net worth of $1.2 billion.
NPR’s John Ruwitch noted that while Huang was the public face of Nvidia, Kress has appeared on dozens of earnings calls beside him. That makes her familiar to investors and business partners. Analyst Dan Ives of Yorkville Ives said she has “built enormous credibility internally and externally.”
A to-do list with no easy items
The immediate agenda is crowded. An internal investigation into Huang’s conduct is under way, and Congress is preparing its own look at the spy allegations. Kress must also look after partner relationships and deals Huang personally handled. Among them are the so-called circular-financing arrangements, in which Nvidia invests in companies that then buy its chips for data centers. As CFO, she knows those arrangements well, which NPR called a plus.
Beyond that, Nvidia holds an estimated 80% to 90% of the market for the GPUs that run AI. Santa Clara University professor Tammy Madsen told NPR that Kress needs to give the market confidence that the company will turn things around and to keep a strong long-term vision in place.
Markets and politics weigh in
Reports on the share price differ by timeframe. Nvidia was down 4.8% at the London close on Thursday, and the Independent cited a drop of more than 4%. NPR said the stock is off more than 10% since last Friday, before the story broke. Nvidia’s market value also fell below $4 trillion for the first time since July 2025. Fox Business, citing Reuters, said the slide cut the value of Kress’s own Nvidia holdings to roughly $750 million.
The politics have been loud. President Donald Trump praised Huang’s work and said Tim Cook, who left Apple in September, should replace him. Congressional Democrats criticized the remark as an attempt to influence corporate governance. Ives called Cook a “dark horse” outside option. Morningstar’s Brian Colello pointed to prediction markets that favor Arm Holdings chief Rene Haas, and he named Nvidia AI head Ian Buck as another internal contender, alongside Kress.
Whether Kress is a placeholder or a front-runner is unresolved. Ruwitch said the key question is how much trust and leeway the board gives her. Demand for Nvidia’s products is not expected to fade soon, so the company’s fundamentals look sturdier than its week.
- Colette Kress becomes Nvidia's interim CEO after Jensen Huang resigns (npr.org)
- Five things we know after Jensen Huang resigns as Nvidia CEO (The Independent)
- Meet Nvidia’s new interim CEO: The fortune and rise of Colette Kress (foxbusiness.com)
- Volatile trade as Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang resigns (standard.co.uk)
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File photo: Colette Kress (1).png by SiliconANGLE theCUBE, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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Musk Says It ‘Would Be an Honor’ to Hire Jensen Huang as Nvidia Sheds $427 Billion in Two Days
Elon Musk has said it would be “an honor” to hire Jensen Huang, a short reply on X that landed just as the future of Nvidia’s co-founder was being decided. Huang had been under pressure from his own board over an admitted affair and U.S. security concerns tied to it.
The exchange was brief. An X user wrote, “Elon please hire Jensen.” Fox Business identifies that account as the financial blog Zerohedge. Musk replied Wednesday: “That would be an honor.” Reports differ on what happened next. The Independent says Huang stepped down as CEO on Thursday morning, hours after a second affair was reported. IGN and Fox Business, published earlier in the news cycle, describe a board still weighing or preparing his removal.
How the Nvidia scandal unfolded
According to the sources, Huang acknowledged on Sunday that he had been unfaithful to his wife. The relationship was with a former executive at Singapore-based technology firm Megaspeed, whom U.S. authorities suspect of ties to Chinese intelligence. The Independent reports that U.S. intelligence warned she may have acted as a corporate espionage agent for China. Huang apologized in a memo to staff and pledged to cooperate with an independent investigation launched by Nvidia’s board. These are suspicions and allegations, not proven findings.
The story widened on Wednesday, when The New York Times reported a second relationship, with a married Nvidia executive who reports directly to Huang. That raised governance questions beyond the national security angle. The board had earlier said it had “confidence in Jensen and his leadership team” and no reason to believe company secrets or national security had been compromised.
Investors react to the Huang crisis
Markets reacted quickly. Fox Business reports Nvidia lost more than $427 billion in market value over the first two trading sessions after Huang’s disclosure and the board investigation were announced. Baird downgraded the stock to neutral, citing uncertainty over Huang’s tenure, possible softening demand and limited visibility into 2027 data center spending.
The stakes go beyond one company. Nvidia is described as the world’s second most valuable company, worth more than $4 trillion. It built that position by supplying chips that power AI data centers, having started in gaming graphics after Huang co-founded it in 1993. IGN reports that several U.S. lawmakers have called for him to resign, and that there is a reported move to tighten Nvidia’s exports to China. Beijing has warned Washington not to use the spying allegations as a pretext for new restrictions.
Why Musk would want to hire Jensen Huang
Musk’s reply was more than politeness. The two men are believed to have known each other for at least a decade. Nvidia chips have supplied Tesla vehicles and self-driving technology, and they power Musk’s xAI. The Independent also notes the pair have collaborated on space-based data centers.
Tom’s Hardware speculates on where Huang might fit in Musk’s orbit, pointing to SpaceX’s planned GPU manufacturing, a project called Terafab, and Tesla’s AI accelerators. That is the outlet’s conjecture. Nothing in the sources suggests Musk has made a formal offer or that Huang has considered one. IGN says Musk framed it as working with Huang at SpaceX, but the other sources describe the remark only as a general expression of interest.
Huang has also drawn public support from industry figures. Epic Games chief Tim Sweeney said firing him would be “an Apple firing Steve Jobs level of idiocy” and “a grievous harm to the United States of America.” IGN notes Sweeney is heavily invested in AI himself, which colors the view. Others are less forgiving: the board’s independent investigation continues, and one Republican lawmaker quoted by Fox said Huang’s resignation does not absolve Nvidia of conducting a full probe.
What to watch next
Musk’s willingness to hire Jensen Huang is a signal, not a job offer. If Huang has left Nvidia, the open questions are who succeeds him, what the investigation finds, and whether any non-compete or governance constraints affect where he goes. Any move to a rival of the company he built would be a major shift in the AI chip industry. For now, the sources document an unusual scandal, a steep loss in market value and a public vote of confidence from the world’s richest tech entrepreneur.
- Elon Musk says it ‘would be an honor’ to hire ousted Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang (Tom's Hardware)
- Elon Musk responds to calls for him to hire Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang (The Independent)
- Elon Musk Says It 'Would Be an Honor' to Hire Jensen Huang, as the Nvidia CEO's Future Hangs in the Balance (IGN)
- Musk says it would be 'an honor' to hire Nvidia's embattled Jensen Huang (foxbusiness.com)
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File photo: Jensen Huang Stanford 2026-04-30 010 (cropped).jpg by Anderseidesvik, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Resigns After 33 Years as CFO Colette Kress Takes Over as Interim Chief
The Nvidia CEO job is open for the first time in the company’s history. Jensen Huang, who co-founded the chipmaker in 1993 and has led it ever since, has resigned, according to Fortune. The move came just days after reports that the board was preparing to push him out.
Earlier coverage from IGN, citing The Wall Street Journal, said the board would meet as soon as November 11 to discuss Huang’s future. A Tom’s Hardware headline said Nvidia’s stock had fallen about 20% since the scandals began. Fortune later reported that the company had announced Huang’s resignation and named Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress as interim CEO. The sources do not agree on every detail of the timeline. Fortune’s report calls it a Thursday announcement even though the article is dated November 11.
How the Nvidia CEO Crisis Unfolded
The trouble began with a New York Times report of an extramarital affair between Huang and a woman that U.S. intelligence officials reportedly judged to be a Chinese spy. On Sunday, Nvidia’s board announced an independent inquiry. It said it had “no reason to believe that either national security or NVIDIA secrets were compromised” but would examine “all available information.” Huang said he supported the review.
He also wrote to employees, in a letter obtained by the BBC, admitting he had been unfaithful and apologizing to his wife and children. The Times then reported a second relationship, with an executive who reported to him. The sources do not say the intelligence-related claims have been proven. Fortune attributes them to U.S. officials’ assessment, and the board’s own statement stressed that it had found no sign of a breach.
A Company Built Around One Man
The timing is awkward for Nvidia. Fortune reports first-half fiscal 2027 revenue of $96 billion, up 85% from a year earlier, and says Kress has forecast 70% growth for fiscal 2028. Shares initially dropped more than 6% on the resignation news. Huang still holds a roughly 3.6% stake, which Fortune values at about $150 billion.
The deeper worry is how the company is organized. Huang built a flat structure with about 60 direct reports and sat at the center of most decisions. Until now the board had no chair, there was no publicly stated succession plan, and the company has no chief operating officer. The board has named Harvey Jones, a managing partner at Square Wave Ventures who has been on the board since 1993, as its first chair. It says it will consider internal and external candidates for a permanent successor.
What Analysts Say Comes Next
Analysts quoted by Fortune say the question is not whether Nvidia’s engineers can keep designing chips. It is whether any one person or team can inherit Huang’s authority over what gets built and keep customers confident in the company’s next bet. Wharton management professor Michael Useem said that “if the board had been doing its job, it would already have a slate of possible successors.”
Competitors may see an opening. Bret Greenstein of West Monroe pointed to Anthropic’s recent move of inference workloads from Nvidia’s CUDA software to AMD in three days. He suggested that could “turn what has effectively been a monopoly into a horse race again.”
For now, Kress is expected to provide continuity for Wall Street and customers while the board searches. How quickly it names a permanent Nvidia CEO, and whether the intelligence-related questions are resolved, will shape how much confidence the company can win back.
- Nvidia’s Board reportedly preparing to oust CEO Jensen Huang as second extra-marital affair emerges (Tom's Hardware)
- Nvidia Board is Preparing to Potentially Oust CEO Jensen Huang (IGN)
- Report: Nvidia is preparing to oust CEO Jensen Huang after admission to affair with alleged Chinese spy (fortune.com)
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File photo: Director Lê Nguyễn Thiên Nga and NVIDIA Founder and CEO Jensen Huang.jpg by VQTCS, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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Trump Wants Tim Cook as Nvidia CEO: “A Legend Replaces a Legend” After Huang Resigns
President Donald Trump has weighed in on who should be the next Nvidia CEO, and he says there is only one answer: Tim Cook. In a Truth Social post on Thursday, hours after Jensen Huang’s resignation was announced, Trump wrote that “there is only one man to take his place – TIM COOK of Apple. A Legend replaces a Legend!”
What Trump said about the next Nvidia CEO
Trump praised Huang as having “done a fantastic job” before pivoting to his preferred successor. None of the reports say whether Cook has any interest in the role, and Trump did not say he had spoken to him about it. Nvidia’s board has not publicly signaled that Cook is under consideration.
The endorsement fits a pattern. Trump has long praised Cook, calling him an “amazing manager and leader” and once crediting him for phoning the White House directly rather than hiring expensive consultants. When Apple announced Cook’s transition in April, Trump called him an “incredible guy” with an “almost incomparable” career. Cook has since stepped down after roughly 15 years as Apple’s chief executive and now serves as executive chairman of its board.
Why Huang’s departure is so unusual
Huang co-founded Nvidia in 1993 and led it for more than three decades. His exit came after a turbulent week. On Sunday, he told staff in a note that he had been “unfaithful” to his wife of more than 40 years. “There is no excuse for what I did. I am deeply sorry,” he wrote.
That admission followed a New York Times report last month about his close relationship with a former executive at Megaspeed, an Nvidia customer. The report said US intelligence officials believe she was recruited to gather information for the Chinese government. Nvidia’s board then opened an independent investigation, led by a prominent Wall Street law firm. During it, the Times reported a second affair, with a senior Nvidia executive who reported directly to Huang.
The national security angle is what raises the stakes beyond a personal scandal. Nvidia’s chips sit at the center of the AI industry and of US-China tension over advanced semiconductors. Fox Business noted that no evidence has been publicly established that Huang disclosed confidential information, or that the woman obtained Nvidia secrets. The claims about her come from reports citing US officials, and she has not been convicted of anything.
What happens next for Nvidia
Nvidia has named Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress interim CEO while the board searches for a permanent replacement. It is considering both internal and external candidates. Investors reacted with caution: Nvidia shares were down about 4.4 percent, to roughly $166, when Fox Business published its report.
For now, Trump’s post is best read as a public opinion, not a signal of what the board will do. Choosing a successor is the board’s job, and it is working through an investigation that has not yet concluded. Whether Cook, who has just handed Apple’s top job to someone else, would want to take on another, or whether Nvidia would want a leader from outside the chip world, is an open question. The next Nvidia CEO will inherit the company’s dominant position in AI hardware, along with the political and security scrutiny that now surrounds it.
- Trump says the only man who should replace ex-Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is Tim Cook of Apple fame (PC Gamer)
- President Trump says Apple’s Tim Cook is the only man to replace Jensen Huang as Nvidia CEO (Tom's Hardware)
- Trump says 'there is only one man' to replace Jensen Huang as Nvidia CEO (foxbusiness.com)
- Trump says 'only one man' can replace Jensen Huang (businessinsider.com)
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File photo: Tim Cook in New York City – 2026 (cropped).jpg by Dati Bendo / European Union, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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Nvidia CEO resignation drops chip giant below $4 trillion for first time since July 2025
The Nvidia CEO resignation has jolted markets and left the world’s most closely watched chipmaker without the only chief executive it has ever had. Jensen Huang, who co-founded the company and steered it from a graphics-chip specialist to the centre of the AI boom, stepped down on Thursday after days of mounting pressure over his personal conduct and its possible national security implications.
At the London equity close, Nvidia shares were down 4.8%, though well above their earlier lows. The company’s market value slipped below $4 trillion for the first time since July 2025. Chief financial officer Colette Kress, in the job since September 2013, will keep her finance duties while serving as interim chief executive. The board has begun a search that will consider both internal and external candidates.
How the scandal unfolded
The sequence began about two weeks ago, when The New York Times reported that Huang had had an affair with a businesswoman from China who worked for Megaspeed, a Singapore-based Nvidia customer. US intelligence officials have reportedly identified her as a suspected Chinese intelligence asset. The reports said Megaspeed had been funnelling AI chips to China, which raised concerns about the security of sensitive information tied to US export restrictions on those chips.
On Sunday, Huang issued a statement admitting to the affair and apologising to his family, Nvidia’s employees and its shareholders. The board said the same day that it was hiring outside counsel to examine the espionage questions. It added that it had “no reason to believe that either national security or NVIDIA secrets were compromised.” Those questions are reported rather than established, and the sources do not describe any finding of wrongdoing.
On Wednesday night the Times reported a second extramarital relationship, this time with a senior Nvidia executive who reported directly to him. The board met overnight, and the resignation was announced the next morning. Board chair Harvey Jones said the directors had “full confidence” in Kress and the leadership team, and expected operations, customer commitments and the product roadmap to continue “without interruption”.
Who could replace Huang?
Speculation about a successor started almost immediately. Dan Ives of Yorkville Ives praised Kress’s credibility inside and outside the company. He said he had long expected her to run a major public tech company, though he thought she would have to leave Nvidia to do it. He also said there was a good chance the board would look outside, naming Apple’s Tim Cook, who left the iPhone maker in September, as a “dark horse”.
President Donald Trump, who had stood by Huang through the controversy, went further. He posted that “there is only one man to take his place – Tim Cook of Apple. A Legend replaces a Legend!”
Morningstar’s Brian Colello noted that prediction markets are also pointing to Rene Haas, a former Nvidia vice president who now runs Arm Holdings, as a possible external pick. The internal names he mentioned alongside Kress were Ian Buck, who leads Nvidia’s AI efforts.
Wider markets stay resilient
The Nvidia CEO resignation did not drag broader indices down. London’s FTSE 100 closed up 0.3% at 10,863.09 after drifting into the red in the early afternoon, though the FTSE 250 edged down by 8.20 points and the AIM all-share lost 1.1%. Paris and Frankfurt both rose, and the Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq were all higher around the London close.
The Nvidia news also competed with strong UK data. Monthly GDP rose 0.2% in September, against expectations of no growth, lifting growth in the three months to September to 0.7% from 0.5% in the second quarter. Deutsche Bank’s Sanjay Raja said that, excluding the pandemic years, the economy had not run this hot since 2017. He credited household spending, business investment, government spending and rapid growth in AI-related activity. Peel Hunt’s Kallum Pickering put annualised growth across the first three quarters of 2026 at about 2.4%, well above his 1.8% estimate of potential.
Elsewhere, sterling slipped to $1.3233 from $1.3284 a day earlier. The US 10-year Treasury yield rose to 5.08%, from 5.00% on Tuesday.
For now, the immediate market reaction to the Nvidia CEO resignation looks like a sharp but contained repricing of leadership risk. The harder questions are for the board: who can succeed the face of the AI boom, and what the outside counsel review will find. Nvidia’s central place in the AI industry means both answers will be watched well beyond its own share price.
- Volatile trade as Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang resigns (The Independent)
- Volatile trade as Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang resigns (standard.co.uk)
- Who is Colette Kress, Nvidia's new interim CEO? (PC Gamer)
- NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang resigns amid mounting scandals (androidauthority.com)
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File photo: Jen-Hsun Huang 2025.jpg by The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
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Tech & AI
Nvidia investigation: Wachtell hired to probe CEO Jensen Huang’s alleged spy link after $500bn share rout
The Nvidia investigation into chief executive Jensen Huang’s relationship with an alleged Chinese spy has been handed to one of Wall Street’s most powerful law firms, as the world’s second most valuable company tries to contain a scandal that has erased hundreds of billions of dollars from its market value.
Nvidia said it had appointed New York firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz to carry out what it called a “thorough and independent” review. The work will be led by partner Joon Kim, a former acting US attorney for the Southern District of New York, whose practice covers internal investigations, white-collar defence and crisis management. Nvidia has given no timeline, but says Huang will keep running the company he co-founded “without interruption”.
What the Nvidia investigation is examining
At its centre is Huang’s relationship with Alice Huang, also known as Huang Le, who is not related to him. She was an executive at Singapore-based Megaspeed, a customer of Nvidia, and is alleged to be a spy for Beijing. Megaspeed had previously been suspected of helping divert Nvidia chips to China. Nvidia says it looked into that concern and found it unsupported, and that the US government never told it Megaspeed posed an intelligence risk.
The company first denied an improper relationship, then reversed course. On Sunday Huang acknowledged he had been unfaithful to his wife, although according to the Guardian he did not refer directly to Ms Huang. The same day, Nvidia’s board announced a probe into reports that he had been the target of a foreign intelligence effort. A committee of independent directors will oversee it, and the board says it has no reason to believe company secrets or national security were compromised.
The New York Times reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio circulated a memo earlier this year warning officials about the relationship. President Donald Trump said Huang told him he had “no idea she was a spy”, and that he believed him. Beijing has dismissed the allegations as an attempt to “smear and malign China”.
Political and market pressure builds
Nvidia is not the only party asking questions. The FBI is running its own inquiry, and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs has asked Huang to attend a closed-door briefing next week. The committee can issue a subpoena if it chooses. Huang has not said whether he will attend. Nvidia declined to say whether he has hired personal lawyers, and it is unclear whether Wachtell will be able to speak to Alice Huang at all.
The stakes extend beyond one executive’s conduct. Nvidia is the sole maker of a chip used in AI tools, and US officials treat its products as a national security matter. David Perdue, the US ambassador to China, said the episode was “another reminder that we have to stay diligent”, adding that “economic security is national security”.
The market reaction has been sharp, though the figures vary with timing. The BBC reported about $500bn wiped from Nvidia’s value since Friday, leaving shares near a yearly low. By Wednesday, the Guardian said, shares had bounced 3.8% to $175.34 in early trading, narrowing the loss since Friday to $272bn. That rebound came alongside a wider lift for AI stocks after strong results from CoreWeave. Even after it, the company is valued at about $4.1tn.
Why Wachtell?
Wachtell is among the most prestigious and profitable law firms in the US. Its clients include OpenAI and Salesforce, and it advised the Treasury during the 2008 takeovers of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Kim’s record as a prosecutor overseeing fraud, corruption and cybercrime cases gives the review credibility with regulators and investors. Sources told the BBC the Nvidia investigation will likely be treated as urgent, given how closely Huang’s public image is tied to the company’s.
For now, the facts are still limited to allegations and admissions. Huang has acknowledged infidelity, but no findings have been made about espionage, and Nvidia says nothing indicates its secrets were compromised. What Wachtell, the FBI and Congress each conclude is likely to determine whether Huang’s role, and investor confidence, survive intact.
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File photo: Jen-Hsun Huang 2025.jpg by The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
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Tech & AI
Gemini on CarPlay Launches Today in Every Supported Gemini Live Language
Gemini on CarPlay is officially here. Google announced on November 11 that its standalone Gemini app is rolling out to Apple’s in-car platform worldwide, bringing the full Gemini Live voice conversation experience to the dashboard. It covers all Gemini users on iOS and every language Gemini Live supports. Because the rollout is staged, the update may take a few days to show up on every phone.
What changes for drivers
CarPlay owners could already reach Gemini through Google Maps, but that integration was limited. The new app is a more complete version of the chatbot. Tap the Gemini icon on the CarPlay display and you can start a fresh conversation or continue a recent one. Conversations sync with the Gemini app on your iPhone and stay in your chat history. You could begin a chat while leaving the house, carry on during the drive, and read the thread on your phone when you arrive.
Google’s suggested uses are mostly about turning commute time into prep time. Drivers can rehearse for a meeting, go through unread emails, get summaries of long threads, or talk through a reply by voice. They can also hear their Daily Brief, which draws on Workspace tools such as Gmail and Google Calendar, or ask for recommendations for places nearby. As on the phone, the conversation is free-flowing, so you can interrupt, ask follow-ups or change topics without starting over.
What it doesn’t do
Android Authority points out a clear limit. The integration does not give Gemini deep device-level permissions, so it won’t change your music, adjust the climate controls or operate other CarPlay apps. This is a conversational assistant, not a replacement for controlling the car. Anyone expecting it to rival Siri’s system-level reach should adjust expectations.
Catching up to the competition
The launch fills a notable gap. According to 9to5Mac, Gemini was the last major AI chatbot without a CarPlay app of its own. ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Copilot, Meta AI and Grok all already support the platform. 9to5Mac also notes that Siri gets a standalone app in iOS 27, which supports CarPlay as well. Android Authority’s headline says Google is “catching up to rivals, finally,” and the late arrival is hard to ignore given how many alternatives drivers already had.
Engadget describes the move as part of a broader push to put Gemini on as many screens and speakers as possible. It follows Google enabling a personalization feature on Android Auto that can use details from other Google apps. Google is also bringing that feature to cars with Google built-in. The company is clearly treating the car as a major place for its assistant, on both Apple’s and its own platforms.
How to get Gemini on CarPlay
No separate download is needed. Google’s setup steps are:
- Update the Gemini app on your iPhone to the latest version.
- Turn on microphone permissions for the app.
- Use Gemini Live on your phone at least once.
- Connect your phone to your car and tap the Gemini icon on the CarPlay display.
Early reports suggest patience may be needed. At the time of writing, Android Authority and 9to5Mac both said the update had not yet reached their devices, though Google says the rollout starts today. If the icon isn’t there yet, checking for app updates over the next few days is the best bet. Once it arrives, Gemini on CarPlay gives iPhone users a hands-free way to continue the same conversations they have on their phones, within the limits above.
- Google brings the Gemini app to Apple CarPlay (engadget.com)
- Google brings the standalone Gemini app and Gemini Live to Apple CarPlay (androidauthority.com)
- Google confirms Gemini app coming to Apple CarPlay (9to5mac.com)
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File photo: 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 running wireless CarPlay.jpg by Sunnyboy122, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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Web Summit Day 2 Cancelled in Lisbon as Storm Charles Brings Flood Risk and 120km/h Gusts
The cancellation of Web Summit Day 2 leaves tens of thousands of tech professionals with an unexpected gap in their week, after Portugal’s government advised organisers that Wednesday’s programme in Lisbon should not go ahead because of Storm Charles.
The conference, one of the largest technology gatherings in the world, is scheduled to run from 9 to 12 November. Business Insider puts its attendance at more than 70,000 people from over 150 countries. Organisers informed attendees by email on Tuesday evening that Wednesday 11 November would not take place.
Why the government stepped in
According to the organisers’ message, the government’s advice cited three concerns: tidal flooding, severe disruption to public transport, and the effect of high winds on external structures. That last point matters for an event that relies on large temporary installations. The advice followed discussions with the national civil protection authority, ANEPC, and the Public Security Police, known as the PSP.
Web Summit said it would respect the government’s direction. “The safety and security of our attendees, staff and contractors is always our absolute priority,” the team wrote.
A wider state of alert across Portugal
The decision did not come out of nowhere. Earlier on Tuesday, Lisbon mayor Carlos Moedas said “everything indicates” the event could not run on Wednesday, according to The Irish Times, as relayed by The Next Web. He reportedly put the number of people at the venue in Parque das Nações at more than 60,000.
The Portugal News reported that the government declared a state of alert across mainland Portugal for Wednesday. Schools and non-essential public services are due to close. Lisbon plans to shut its tunnels, parks, gardens and cultural venues from midnight. The national weather service, IPMA, forecast gusts of up to 120km/h. Against that backdrop, holding a mass-attendance conference would have meant moving huge crowds through a city whose transport network was expected to be struggling.
What happens on Thursday
Organisers say they aim to proceed with Day 3 on Thursday 12 November as planned, once Storm Charles has passed. That is an intention rather than a guarantee. The company said it will keep working with the authorities and emergency services, monitor conditions, and issue further updates as confirmed information becomes available. It added that it will contact affected people directly.
Several questions remain open in the sources. Neither says whether any Wednesday sessions will be rescheduled or moved online, or how the loss of a full day will affect exhibitors, startups and investors who built their schedules around it. Attendees will have to wait for those details from the organisers.
For now, the practical message is simple. Web Summit Day 2 will not happen, Thursday is the target for resuming, and anyone in Lisbon should expect disruption while the state of alert is in force and follow official guidance as the storm passes.
- Web Summit cancels day 2 due to Storm Charles and risks of tidal flood (businessinsider.com)
- Web Summit cancels Day 2 in Lisbon as Storm Charles hits Portugal (thenextweb.com)
File photo: Web Summit 2017 – Registration and Arrival COD 1309 (24341345918).jpg by Web Summit, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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