'A Massive Mistake': Tech, AI and Crypto Founders React to Jensen Huang’s Nvidia Exit

In brief

• Nvidia announced Jensen Huang’s resignation on Thursday and named CFO Colette Kress interim CEO; shares plunged at the opening bell.
• Binance founder CZ, Venice AI founder Erik Voorhees, and prominent AI builders criticized the departure, with some warning about the future of open-weight models.
• Claims of an anti-open-source conspiracy remain unproven, while Elon Musk said hiring Huang would be “an honor.”

Nvidia co-founder Jensen Huang is out as CEO after 33 years, and some of the loudest names in crypto and artificial intelligence think the company just made a spectacular mistake.

On Thursday, Nvidia confirmed Huang’s resignation as president, CEO, and board member, and named longtime finance chief Colette Kress interim CEO. The move followed reports of two extramarital affairs, including one involving a businesswoman U.S. intelligence reportedly suspected of links to China, as well as concerns over a reported relationship with an Nvidia employee.

Huang acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife in a message to employees on Sunday. Nvidia said in a board statement that it had no reason to believe its secrets or national security were compromised, and its independent investigation remains underway. The allegations about foreign intelligence have not established that Huang knowingly provided information to a foreign government.