Musk signals openness to hiring ousted Nvidia CEO Huang amid semiconductor ambitions
Elon Musk expressed willingness to bring on Jensen Huang shortly before the Nvidia executive's resignation, as the billionaire pursues his Terafab chip manufacturing venture.
Jensen Huang stepped down from his role leading Nvidia following revelations about his involvement with a suspected Chinese intelligence operative and a separate affair with an Nvidia vice president. The timing of Elon Musk's public statement on X proved prescient: hours before Huang's departure became official—when speculation about an imminent board ouster was still circulating—Musk responded affirmatively to a social media user's suggestion that he recruit the former chip executive.
That would be an honor
Elon Musk, on X, November 12, 2026
Huang's departure comes amid serious complications for the longtime Nvidia leader. Despite the controversies surrounding him, his track record in semiconductor engineering, comprehensive grasp of industry dynamics, and extensive global network represent assets that could prove invaluable to any organization seeking to establish itself in chip manufacturing.
Musk's Terafab initiative, unveiled in November 2025, represents precisely the kind of undertaking where such expertise could matter. Huang himself had cautioned about the difficulty of the endeavor, observing that "the engineering, the science, and the artistry of doing what TSMC does for a living is extremely hard." Undeterred, Musk has committed significant capital to the project. The Terafab facility is currently under construction, with expectations to begin volume production in the latter half of 2028. Musk has indicated the site could reach a monthly wafer production capacity of one million units by 2032. Tesla maintains an aggressive roadmap for AI accelerators, while SpaceX has indicated interest in developing proprietary GPUs.
Huang's financial position remains substantial despite his exit from operational leadership. Through various trusts and corporate structures, he and his wife Lori collectively hold approximately 800 million Nvidia shares. Huang personally maintains around 70 million shares in the company.
The former Nvidia chief faces additional complications. Congress has extended an invitation for him to address questions about Nvidia's security practices, with the possibility of a subpoena if he declines. An FBI investigation is reportedly underway regarding his connection to Alice Huang, a Megaspeed executive allegedly involved in facilitating roughly $7.5 billion in Nvidia AI GPU shipments to China. Alice Huang is suspected of ties to China's Ministry of State Security.
Huang joins a roster of technology and corporate leaders who have departed their positions following romantic entanglements with subordinates. Boeing's Harry Stonecipher resigned in 2005, HP's Mark Hurd in 2010, Intel's Brian Krzanich in 2018, and McDonald's Steve Easterbrook in 2019. Musk himself has maintained relationships with employees across his enterprises, including fathering four children with Shivon Zilis, a Neuralink executive who began her career at Tesla in 2017, via in vitro fertilization.
Whether Musk's X post constitutes a genuine employment offer remains uncertain. Should Huang pursue such an opportunity and join Musk's Terafab operation, his technical acumen and industry knowledge could substantially strengthen the venture's competitive positioning against his former employer.