Nvidia employees demand Jensen Huang’s return as internal post draws over 1,600 comments

Nvidia employees are pushing for Jensen Huang’s return just one day after the company’s co-founder and longtime CEO resigned, as an internal discussion draws more than 1,600 comments and calls for the board to reconsider his departure grow.

The employee backlash follows a turbulent week for the AI chip giant, which has been rocked by reports of Huang’s extramarital relationships and an investigation involving an alleged Chinese intelligence connection.

According to a WIRED investigation published Thursday, an internal Nvidia suggestion-box post submitted by a longtime engineer before Huang’s resignation has attracted more than 1,600 comments. The majority reportedly support bringing him back.

“If you believe in the mission, bring back THE boss,” one anonymous employee wrote.

Another employee argued that Huang’s mistakes should not erase his contributions to the company.

“We are all humans and can make mistakes. Jensen did so many good things, and he needs a second chance,” the employee wrote.

The internal discussion offers a rare glimpse into the turmoil at Nvidia, where Huang spent more than three decades building a graphics chip company into the dominant supplier of processors used to train and run artificial intelligence models.

The original post reportedly urged Nvidia’s board to consider employee sentiment before deciding Huang’s future. It asked directors to share their investigation findings and seek employee feedback on whether he should remain CEO.

The 1,600 figure represents comments on the internal post, not verified signatures on a formal petition or a count of individual employees.

Nvidia Faces Growing Employee Backlash as Board Searches for New CEO

The push to reinstate Huang extends beyond the internal discussion.

WIRED reported that one Nvidia employee sent a companywide email demanding greater transparency surrounding the CEO’s departure.

“I stand by Jensen,” the employee wrote. “Not because I believe any person is infallible, but because I refuse to believe that standing for fairness must mean standing at a distance from someone whose leadership has meant so much to us.”

The publication identified roughly two dozen Nvidia employees who publicly defended Huang on LinkedIn following his resignation. WIRED said it found no employee posts supporting his departure during the same period.

One employee who spoke to WIRED described support for Huang’s reinstatement as widespread, expressing concern about Nvidia’s future without the executive who had led it since its founding in 1993.

“Nvidia is Nvidia because of Jensen,” the employee said.

The growing support comes amid serious questions surrounding Huang’s conduct. The 63-year-old executive acknowledged in an internal email that he had been unfaithful to his wife. Separate reports have linked him to additional alleged relationships, including one involving a direct report and another involving a woman suspected of having ties to Chinese intelligence.

The allegations have triggered scrutiny from US lawmakers and federal investigators. They have shaken investor confidence in a company central to the global AI industry.

Nvidia has lost more than $1 trillion in market value since the controversy began, according to WIRED. The decline reflects investor concerns over leadership uncertainty, potential regulatory consequences, and the company’s future without its founder.

On Thursday, November 12, Nvidia officially announced Huang’s immediate resignation as president, CEO, and board member.

Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress was appointed interim CEO, with longtime board member Harvey Jones becoming the company’s first board chair. Nvidia said it would consider internal and external candidates in its search for a permanent chief executive.

The board has not publicly indicated whether it would consider reinstating Huang.

The unfolding situation raises an uncomfortable question for Nvidia’s directors: Can the company move forward without the founder who helped make it the backbone of the AI boom?

For employees defending Huang, his leadership record appears to outweigh the controversy surrounding his personal conduct. For Nvidia’s board, the decision carries broader questions about corporate governance, accountability, and investor confidence.

The employee response recalls the turmoil at OpenAI in November 2023, when hundreds of employees threatened to leave following Sam Altman’s removal as CEO. Altman returned days later after intense internal pressure.

Whether Nvidia faces a similar reversal remains uncertain. Its board has already begun the search for Huang’s successor, but the internal campaign suggests some employees are far from ready to move on.

For a company whose identity has been closely tied to one leader for 33 years, replacing Jensen Huang may prove harder than announcing his departure.