The key facts

  • The petition to reinstate Jensen Huang has gathered more than 115,000 signatures, including 5,965 current Nvidia employees and 63,063 shareholders
  • Among the signatories are Elon Musk, the heads of Replit and Epic Games
  • Nvidia's interim CEO is CFO Colette Kress; the company's shares fell 2%

The petition and its demands

The petition demanding Jensen Huang's return to the post of Nvidia CEO had, according to its website, gathered more than 115,000 signatures by Saturday afternoon. Among the signatories are listed 5,965 current Nvidia employees, 1,108 former employees, and 63,063 shareholders. Among well-known figures, the petition was supported by Tesla and SpaceX head Elon Musk, Replit CEO Amjad Masad, and Epic Games head Tim Sweeney.

What the petition demands

The petition's authors state that the signatories are 'concerned that Jensen was removed without due process' and demand that the board of directors reinstate him 'until an independent investigation establishes the facts.' They also call on the board to ensure a fair investigation and provide the public with more information. The text says: 'Jensen deserves due process, not a mob lynching.'

Circumstances of the resignation

Huang submitted his resignation on Thursday — a few days after admitting to a relationship with the head of a chip company that was identified in a government memo as a suspected Chinese spy. Media outlets also reported several extramarital affairs of Huang. Nvidia appointed the company's CFO Colette Kress as interim CEO while a permanent replacement is being sought. On Friday, Nvidia's shares fell 2%, and Huang's departure, it is noted, may leave a noticeable gap in funding for the AI industry.