Elon Musk Eyes Jensen Huang After Nvidia CEO Resigns Amid Alleged Chinese Spy Affair Controversy

Elon Musk expressed openness to hiring Jensen Huang in an exchange on X before Nvidia announced its co-founder's resignation as president, chief executive and board member.

The Tesla billionaire did not identify a role or indicate that employment discussions were taking place.

His response followed a public appeal from the financial news account ZeroHedge to recruit Huang.

Nvidia subsequently confirmed Huang's immediate departure and appointed chief financial officer Colette Kress as interim chief executive while it searches for a permanent replacement.

Musk Responds to Jensen Huang Hiring Suggestion

'Elon please hire Jensen,' ZeroHedge wrote on X. Musk replied, 'That would be an honor.'

The brief exchange offered no details about which of Musk's businesses might employ Huang. No formal job offer or employment discussions have been announced, and neither executive has announced plans to work together.

Musk's response came before Nvidia confirmed the resignation, rather than after the company's announcement. It expressed willingness to consider the suggestion without outlining a recruitment process, a prospective position or any arrangement between the two executives.

Bloomberg stated that Musk and Huang have known each other for at least a decade. Musk has previously praised the Nvidia co-founder, placing his response within a longstanding professional relationship.

In a separate post on X, Musk wrote, 'Old friends are the best friends. Jensen rocks.'

Nvidia Announces Jensen Huang's Departure

Nvidia confirmed that Huang had resigned as president, chief executive and a member of its board with immediate effect. Its board acknowledged his contributions to the company, which he co-founded in 1993 and led for more than three decades.

During that period, Huang developed Nvidia into a major supplier of the computing hardware behind artificial intelligence. His experience spans chip technology, artificial intelligence infrastructure and large-scale computing, all areas relevant to Musk's expanding technology interests.

Kress's appointment provides interim leadership as Nvidia searches for a permanent chief executive. The company's announced succession arrangements do not identify a future role for Huang at any of Musk's businesses.

For Huang, the departure marks the end of more than three decades leading the company he helped establish. He has not publicly indicated what he intends to do next.

Technology Links Jensen Huang and Musk

Nvidia supplies graphics processing units that Tesla employs to train artificial intelligence models for its self-driving technology. The chipmaker's technology has also supported Tesla's driver-assistance systems, although the automaker continues developing its own chips.

Musk has expressed his intention to continue purchasing Nvidia hardware. That commercial relationship connects the two executives through the computational demands of Tesla's development work, as well as Musk's broader investment in artificial intelligence.

Tesla is developing autonomous driving technology and humanoid robots. Musk's artificial intelligence ventures also require substantial computing power, giving Nvidia's hardware a role in the technology supporting those ambitions.

Huang's expertise could be relevant to businesses pursuing those projects. However, the possibility of closer collaboration remains unresolved, with Musk's public comment providing no indication of responsibilities, terms or a timetable.

Nvidia's search for a permanent chief executive continues under Kress's interim leadership. Neither Musk nor Huang has announced an agreement for Huang to join one of Musk's companies.