Nvidia announced Sunday that its board of directors is launching an independent investigation after reports that CEO Jensen Huang may have been targeted by a foreign intelligence operation involving a Chinese businesswoman. The investigation follows separate reporting by The New York Times and the Financial Times concerning Huang's relationship with Alice Huang, who is not related to the Nvidia founder.

The reports alleged that Alice Huang, a Chinese citizen whose Singapore-based company purchased Nvidia's advanced chips, had been recruited by China's top intelligence agency. U.S. intelligence agencies reportedly placed her under surveillance and developed concerns about her connections to Jensen Huang. The reporting also indicated that concerns within the U.S. government reached senior officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Nvidia said a committee of independent directors, assisted by outside legal counsel, would oversee the investigation. The company emphasized that it had no reason to believe national security information or Nvidia's proprietary technology had been compromised, but said the inquiry would examine all available information.

The reports also raised questions about Jensen Huang's personal relationship with Alice Huang. The Financial Times reported Friday that the U.S. government believed the two had a romantic relationship. Nvidia previously declined to comment on that report, noting that Huang meets with thousands of customer executives each year as part of his responsibilities as CEO.

In an internal memo shared with employees, Jensen Huang acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife and apologized to his family. He said his actions had hurt his wife and children and expressed hope that the family could heal and that he could eventually regain their trust.

Huang also apologized to Nvidia employees, board members, business partners and shareholders, saying he had fallen short of his responsibilities as the company's leader. He reaffirmed his commitment to Nvidia and said he would work to restore confidence in his leadership.

Nvidia occupies a central position in the global SI industry, producing some of the world's most sought-after advanced computing chips. Its most powerful products are largely restricted from sale to Chinese customers because of U.S. national security concerns, making the reported intelligence operation particularly sensitive for Washington and the company.