'We are all humans': Staff seek Nvidia CEO's return

Mumbai: Some employees at Nvidia are rallying behind ousted cofounder Jensen Huang, urging the chipmaker's board to reinstate the technocrat who abruptly resigned as chief executive on Thursday following allegations of extramarital relationships, including one involving a woman suspected of links to Chinese intelligence.

An internal employee forum at Nvidia has received more than 1,600 comments, many supporting Huang's return and questioning the board's decision to part ways with the executive who built the company into the world's leading artificial intelligence (AI) chipmaker, according to a report by Wired. "If you believe in the mission, bring back THE boss," a longtime Nvidia engineer wrote anonymously.

Another employee wrote: "We are all humans and can make mistakes. Jensen did so many good things and he needs a second chance." One staff member reportedly sent a companywide email demanding transparency about Huang's departure. "I stand by Jensen... If America fails the man who helped build its future, then this world does not deserve Jensen Huang," the email said. As of FY26, Nvidia had 42,000 employees across 38 countries. Silicon Valley founders and top executives also backed Huang on X.


Epic Games founder-CEO Tim Sweeney stated, "I stand with Jensen," arguing that Huang built an unusually innovative company and that removing him damages America's technology leadership.

Threats Looming

Peter Steinberger, creator of OpenClaw and now at OpenAI, posted, "Ousting Jensen feels rushed and not right." He said Huang's exit could destabilise a major American technology company, the very end that a foreign intelligence operation might have sought.

Some said any resignation should have waited till investigations were complete. Elon Musk backed investors who said Nvidia's board should have finished its inquiry before removing Huang.

The episode is reminiscent of the 2023 ouster of Sam Altman from OpenAI, when employees threatened to resign, forcing the board to reinstate him within days.

Huang, who had led Nvidia since its establishment in 1993, transformed it from a graphics chip designer into the largest supplier of computing infrastructure powering the global AI boom.

Chief financial officer Colette Kress has taken charge as interim CEO, while Harvey Jones, a longtime Nvidia board member and former Synopsys chief executive, has been appointed chairman.

However, the company's trajectory will depend on its ability to replace Huang's unique combination of technical expertise, commercial influence and dealmaking proficiency.

The biggest threat looms over the Nvidia-backed neocloud financing model as well as circular financing deals involving Big Tech and AI labs.

Nvidia's engineering roadmap for the Blackwell and Vera Rubin chip architectures may remain on track for at least the next two years. However, initiatives personally championed by Huang could face a temporary pause as the new leadership adopts a more cautious approach.

More importantly, it also creates an organisational challenge for Nvidia, which has a relatively flat management structure, with 60 staffers having directly reported to Huang.

"Transitioning from that founder-led hub to a traditional corporate hierarchy will naturally test internal dynamics, as long-time lieutenants adjust to new reporting lines, external comparisons, and competing leadership ambitions," Counterpoint Research said in a post.

The leadership vacuum could also alter the balance of power across the global semiconductor supply chain. Nvidia has traditionally exercised leverage over component manufacturers, server makers and other suppliers, commanding nearly 70% margins. Suppliers may reassess pricing arrangements and capacity commitments as they hedge against uncertainties over the leadership transition.

The disruption could provide an opportunity for competitors such as AMD and hyperscalers developing their own custom AI chips to accelerate adoption.

The company's next quarterly earnings announcement, scheduled for November 17, and the employee meeting the following day are expected to provide an early test of whether Nvidia's new leadership can reassure investors and its workforce.