Elon Musk on hiring Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang: ‘That would be an honour’

Could Jensen Huang, the man who helped turn Nvidia into the world’s most powerful AI chipmaker, find himself working for Elon Musk? A post on X has put that unlikely possibility into the conversation, at least jokingly. Musk’s brief response has attracted attention because it comes at a particularly turbulent moment for Huang and the company he has led for more than three decades.

What did Elon Musk say about hiring Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang?

The exchange began when the financial commentary account ZeroHedge posted on X: “Elon please hire Jensen”. Musk responded on November 12: “That would be an honour.”

The reply was brief and did not include any details about a possible job, discussions with Huang or an actual hiring plan. It was a public reaction to a social media suggestion, rather than an announcement of an offer.

However, the timing gave the exchange a larger significance. Nvidia is facing questions about its chief executive’s position after reports that its board is considering his future at the company.

Is Nvidia preparing to remove Jensen Huang as CEO?

A report by The Wall Street Journal said Nvidia’s board was preparing to meet to discuss Huang’s future and was considering removing him. The report cited people familiar with the matter. Nvidia has not publicly confirmed that a decision to remove him has been taken.

The company’s official position has so far been more measured. On November 8, Nvidia announced an independent investigation following reports that Huang may have been targeted by a foreign intelligence effort. The board said it had no reason to believe that national security or company secrets had been compromised and expressed confidence in Huang and his leadership team.

On November 10, the independent directors confirmed that they had retained former acting US attorney Joon H. Kim and law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz to conduct the investigation.

What are the allegations involving Alice Huang and Kimberly Powell?

The controversy centres on reports about two alleged relationships. The New York Times reported that Huang had a relationship with Alice Huang, a former executive of Singapore-based Megaspeed International. US authorities have reportedly suspected her of links to Chinese intelligence. The two are not related.

The newspaper also reported that Huang had a relationship with Kimberly Powell, Nvidia’s vice president of healthcare, who reports to him. The report cited five people who had worked at the company.

Huang acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife in an internal message to employees and apologised to his family. He has not publicly confirmed the specific details of the relationships reported by the newspapers.

The allegations have raised questions about potential conflicts of interest, corporate governance and whether sensitive company information could have been exposed. These remain matters for the investigation, not established findings.

How has the Nvidia controversy affected the company and its shares?

The fallout has extended beyond the boardroom. Reuters reported on November 11 that Nvidia had lost around $430 billion in market value over two trading sessions as the controversy deepened. Investors are weighing the uncertainty surrounding Huang’s leadership against his central role in the company’s rise.

A separate proposed shareholder class-action lawsuit filed against Nvidia and Huang alleges that investors were misled about disclosures relating to the controversy. The allegations in the lawsuit have not been proven.

Why would Jensen Huang’s exit matter to Nvidia?

Huang co-founded Nvidia in 1993 and transformed it from a graphics-chip maker into a dominant supplier of processors used to train and run artificial intelligence systems. His leadership has been closely associated with the company’s strategy, technology and expansion.

That makes any uncertainty about his future significant for investors and the wider AI industry. Musk’s comment may have been only a few words on X, but it has landed in the middle of a much bigger question: can Nvidia navigate the controversy without losing the leadership that helped build its dominance?

(With inputs from ANI)