Nvidia has opened an investigation after a report that its chief executive, Jensen Huang, was a target of foreign intelligence.
The report centres on an alleged affair between Huang and a suspected Chinese spy. Huang runs Nvidia and is one of the most prominent figures in the artificial intelligence industry, which has made the company's chips central to the sector's expansion.
Nvidia's decision to investigate is the company's first formal step in response to the claims. The allegations concern a personal relationship, but the suggestion that a foreign intelligence service may have been involved has pushed the matter beyond the usual bounds of boardroom gossip.
Questions over Huang's position
Commentators are now asking whether Huang's job at the chipmaker could be at risk. He has led the company for decades and is closely identified with its rise.
One report says Jeffrey Sonnenfeld of Yale puts the chance that Huang's job is in jeopardy at about 50-50. The company has not suggested that Huang's position is under review.
The company's position
Nvidia's investigation is under way, and no date has been set for it to report. The company has not set out publicly how the inquiry will be run or who will carry it out.
Huang has been the public face of Nvidia through the AI boom, regularly appearing on stage at the company's events and meeting political leaders. Any question over his judgement or his exposure to outside influence lands directly on the firm's standing with investors, customers and governments.
Nvidia supplies processors that sit at the heart of AI systems built by technology firms around the world, and developments at the top of the company are followed closely by the wider industry. Shareholders and partners will be watching for any statement from the board as the investigation proceeds.
The allegations remain allegations. The company's inquiry, and any findings it produces, will determine what, if anything, changes at the top of one of the world's most closely watched technology businesses.
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