Nvidia’s Jensen Huang resigned as CEO on Thursday after reports of extramarital affairs, including an allegation involving a woman U.S. officials suspect of being a Chinese spy. The reports prompted national-security concerns, and the company’s board reportedly met to consider his position. Nvidia named longtime executive vice president and CFO Colette Kress interim CEO. A 20-year company veteran, Kress takes over as Nvidia faces growing competition; she says she will continue its work in AI innovation and growth.
Huang’s departure raises questions about succession, Nvidia’s culture and the company’s role in financing the AI sector. Experts cited in one report said Nvidia’s chip position could endure, but noted it has no clear successor and that Huang’s exit could slow partnerships and financing ties with companies that buy its chips. Nvidia supplies chips used to run most AI models and has helped fund the industry’s expansion, though analysts quoted in the coverage said the broader AI industry is unlikely to stop growing.
Menlo Security has launched Menlo IRIS, a centrally managed browser extension for controlling generative AI use and other browser activity without replacing employees’ browsers. It works with Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox and Chromium-based AI browsers, and can be deployed through tools including Microsoft Intune, Jamf and the Chrome Web Store. Features include extension audits, web filtering, file inspection, centralized logging, and controls on sharing, copying, uploads, downloads, printing and screenshots. Menlo says it is available now and can be deployed in hours without new hardware. The company has raised $250 million, including a $100 million round.
British AI-chip startup Fractile raised $720 million in a round led by Thrive Capital, Founders Fund, Lightspeed Venture Partners and Redpoint. The British government put its valuation above £5 billion, while press reports suggested it could be about $7 billion. Fractile is building chips alongside a full-stack offering that includes a machine-learning compiler intended to help large language models run faster.
Meta appointed former Amazon Web Services executive Brown to lead infrastructure operations and become chief technology officer of Meta Compute. Brown brings nearly two decades of cloud experience, including oversight of compute and machine-learning services at AWS. Meta is expanding data centers and computing capacity for AI and expects $135 billion to $145 billion in capital-project spending in 2026. It reported negative free cash flow of $2.12 billion in the third quarter and may offer outside customers access to its computing capacity and AI services.
Other developments highlight AI’s reach into business and public services. Garage raised $41 million in Series B funding for its AI-powered heavy-equipment marketplace, which reports more than $100 million in annual sales and service in over 1,000 communities across all 50 U.S. states and Canada. The company says it has saved municipalities more than $100 million; it cites used fire trucks at about $150,000 versus up to $2 million for new ones. South Korea’s Gaze AI won approval to register in three M.AX Alliance divisions—Sandan AX, defense and factory—and plans safety, inspection, robotics and parts-tracking services. At Lisbon’s Web Summit, a report also featured a humanoid robot and experts’ warning that company valuations may be outpacing AI’s actual capabilities.
Key Takeaways
- Jensen Huang resigned as Nvidia CEO on Thursday following reports of extramarital affairs that raised national-security concerns; Nvidia named veteran CFO Colette Kress interim CEO.
- Experts say Nvidia’s chip position may continue, but its lack of a clear successor and Huang’s role in AI partnerships and financing create uncertainty.
- Menlo Security launched Menlo IRIS, a browser extension for managing AI and browser risks across Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox and Chromium-based AI browsers.
- Menlo IRIS supports controls including file inspection, extension audits, web filtering, centralized logging and restrictions on copying, uploads, downloads, printing and screenshots. Menlo has raised $250 million, including $100 million in one round.
- Fractile raised $720 million to develop AI chips and a machine-learning compiler; its valuation is reported above £5 billion by the British government and around $7 billion in press reports.
- Meta appointed former AWS executive Brown to lead infrastructure operations and Meta Compute as it expands AI computing capacity; it expects $135 billion to $145 billion in 2026 capital-project spending.
- Garage raised $41 million for its equipment marketplace, reports more than $100 million in annual sales, and says it has saved municipalities more than $100 million.
- South Korea’s Gaze AI received approval for three M.AX Alliance divisions and plans manufacturing, defense and industrial-complex AI services.
- Experts cited at Web Summit warned that some AI company valuations may be rising faster than the technology’s capabilities.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang resigns after affair raises security concerns
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has resigned after his extramarital affair raised national security concerns. On Thursday, Nvidia named Colette Kress interim CEO. Kress is the company’s executive vice president. The article does not provide further details about the concerns.
Nvidia names Colette Kress interim CEO after Huang resigns
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has resigned after reports of an extramarital affair raised national security concerns. On Thursday, the company named Colette Kress interim CEO. Kress is Nvidia’s executive vice president of software engineering.
Jensen Huang resigns from Nvidia after reports of affairs
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang resigned on Thursday, ending his rise as a leading public figure in the artificial intelligence boom. His departure followed reports of extramarital affairs. The article says his resignation marked a major downfall but provides no further details in the available text.
Jensen Huang leaves Nvidia after reports of extramarital affairs
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang resigned on Thursday after reports of extramarital affairs. His departure marked a dramatic fall for a figure closely associated with the artificial intelligence boom. The available article text does not provide further details about his resignation.
Menlo IRIS extension gives security teams browser controls for AI use
Menlo Security’s Menlo IRIS is a centrally managed browser extension designed to help security teams monitor generative AI use, data movement, files and other browser extensions. It works with Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox and Chromium-based AI browsers, and can be deployed through the Chrome Web Store, Microsoft Intune, Jamf or other device management tools. Its controls include extension audits, limits on data sharing, web filtering and file inspection. The company says deployment can take hours and does not require new hardware or a browser change. Menlo IRIS is available now, and Menlo Security has raised $250 million in funding, including a $100 million round.
Menlo Security adds browser controls to curb Shadow AI risks
Menlo Security has launched the IRIS Browser Extension, which gives security teams controls over browser activity and extensions without replacing employees’ browsers. It can restrict copying, uploads, downloads, printing, and screenshots, and guide users toward approved web and GenAI tools. The extension also checks files and browser extensions for risks and supports centralized logging for compliance reviews. Organizations can deploy it through the Chrome Web Store, Microsoft Intune, JAMF, or other MDM and UEM tools. It works with Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox, and Chromium-based AI browsers, and is available now.
Fractile raises $720 million to compete in the AI chip race
British AI chip company Fractile has secured $720 million in funding from a round led by Thrive Capital, Founders Fund, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and Redpoint. The British government put the company’s valuation at over £5 billion, while press reports in the UK and US suggested it could be about $7 billion. Fractile is developing a full-stack offering that includes a machine learning compiler to help large language models run faster on its chips. The company’s hardware design is a key part of its effort to compete as demand grows for faster AI systems.
Huang’s possible Nvidia exit puts succession and AI financing in focus
Experts interviewed by the JoongAng Ilbo said Nvidia’s chip lead may continue without CEO Jensen Huang, but his possible departure raises questions about leadership succession, company culture, and the AI investment network he built. The Wall Street Journal reported that Nvidia’s board met Wednesday to consider removing Huang after reports about alleged affairs, including one involving a woman US officials suspect of being a Chinese spy. Experts said Nvidia has no clear successor, while others argued its skilled and independent employees could preserve its culture. They also warned that Huang’s departure could slow partnerships and financing ties between Nvidia and AI companies that buy its chips. Most experts said the wider AI industry is unlikely to stop growing.
Nvidia CFO Colette Kress takes over as interim CEO
Colette Kress, Nvidia’s longtime chief financial officer and a 20-year company veteran, has become interim CEO after Jensen Huang resigned on Thursday. The article credits Kress with helping Nvidia grow into a global AI leader. She will lead the company as it faces increased competition from other technology firms. Kress said she was honored to take the role and would continue the company’s mission to drive innovation and growth in AI.
Jensen Huang’s role at Nvidia could affect the AI boom and US economy
The article says Jensen Huang’s possible downfall could have effects beyond Nvidia because he played an unusually large role in the company’s success. Nvidia, in turn, has been central to the artificial intelligence boom by making chips used to run most AI models and helping finance the industry’s expansion. The article argues that this connection could give a change in Nvidia’s leadership wider economic importance.
Garage raises $41 million to expand its equipment marketplace
Garage raised $41 million in Series B funding as it grows its AI-powered marketplace for heavy equipment. The company says its platform has passed $100 million in annual sales and serves more than 1,000 communities across all 50 states and Canada. It helps governments and service providers buy and sell equipment such as fire engines and garbage trucks, and says it has saved municipalities more than $100 million. Garage says a used fire truck can cost about $150,000, compared with as much as $2 million for a new one, a reduction of more than 90%.
Meta appoints former AWS leader as AI infrastructure spending grows
Meta has appointed a former Amazon Web Services executive, Brown, to oversee its infrastructure operations and serve as chief technology officer of Meta Compute. Brown brings nearly two decades of cloud computing experience and previously oversaw compute and machine learning services at AWS. Meta is expanding its data centers and computing capacity to support AI development and deployment. The company expects to spend $135 billion to $145 billion on capital projects in 2026, and reported negative free cash flow of $2.12 billion in the third quarter. Meta may also offer outside customers access to its computing capacity and AI services.
Humanoid robot says AI is too useful to disappear
At the Web Summit in Lisbon, Al Jazeera journalist Rosie Birchard asked a humanoid robot whether AI is too useful to disappear. The video report notes that major AI investments have helped tech companies dominate US stock markets. Experts warn that company valuations may be rising faster than the technology’s actual capabilities.
Gaze AI wins approval for three manufacturing AI divisions
Gaze AI said it received approval to register in three divisions of the South Korean government’s M.AX Alliance: Sandan AX, defense, and factory. The public-private partnership, launched by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Chamber of Commerce, aims to support AI adoption in manufacturing. Gaze AI plans to provide safety services and automation for industrial complexes, image-based inspections and robotics for defense, and worker safety and parts-tracking tools for factories. The company says its GPU infrastructure will help it train and test AI models for specific processes. The approval may open opportunities to join national research and demonstration projects and pursue contracts with large and medium-sized companies.
Sources
- Jensen Huang, a global salesman for artificial intelligence, resigns from Nvidia after affair
- Jensen Huang, a global salesman for artificial intelligence, resigns from Nvidia after affair
- Jensen Huang, a global salesman for artificial intelligence, resigns from Nvidia after affair
- Jensen Huang, a global salesman for artificial intelligence, resigns from Nvidia after affair
- Exclusive: Menlo IRIS extension gives security teams control over AI use without a new browser
- Menlo Security IRIS Browser Extension Lets Security Teams Rein in Shadow AI and Risky Extensions Without a Browser Swap
- With $720M round, Britain's Fractile gets a leg up in the race for AI chips
- Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang ouster fears raise questions over AI leadership and investment
- Meet Colette Kress, Nvidia’s New Interim CEO
- Jensen Huang Was the Mascot for the A.I. Boom Powering the U.S. Economy
- Garage Raises $41M Series B to Scale AI-Powered Marketplace for America’s Essential Equipment, Surpassing $100M in Annual Platform Sales
- Meta Taps Former AWS Executive to Lead Infrastructure as AI Spending Surges
- Robot tells Al Jazeera AI is ‘too useful to disappear’
- Gaze AI, an artificial intelligence company, announced on the 13th that it has simultaneously obtain..
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