As Jensen Huang exits Nvidia, Elon Musk says he would be honoured to hire him

If Jensen Huang is looking for his next career move after leaving Nvidia, Elon Musk appears to have at least one suggestion for him.

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO has responded to a post on X urging him to hire the Nvidia co-founder, saying it would be an honour. The exchange has quickly added a new twist to the headlines surrounding Huang's departure from the AI chipmaker.

The post, shared by the verified account ZeroHedge on November 12, was brief and to the point: "Elon please hire Jensen."

Musk's response was equally straightforward: "That would be an honor."

From Nvidia's boardroom to Musk's inbox?

The exchange comes after Nvidia announced that Huang had resigned as its president, CEO and board member, effective immediately.

Huang co-founded Nvidia in 1993 and spent more than three decades leading the company. His departure has prompted questions about who will take charge of one of the world's most influential AI chipmakers.

For Musk, however, the prospect of bringing Huang on board appears to be an appealing one. His reply has naturally invited speculation about whether the Nvidia co-founder could find a place at one of Musk's companies.

There is, however, no formal job offer on the table. Musk did not specify a role, name a company or confirm any recruitment discussions with Huang.

Nvidia gets a new interim boss

While social media users contemplate a possible Musk-Huang pairing, Nvidia has some immediate leadership decisions to manage.

The company has appointed Colette Kress, its executive vice-president and chief financial officer, as interim CEO following Huang's departure. She will continue overseeing the finance function during the transition.

Nvidia's board has also begun looking for a permanent successor, with both internal and external candidates under consideration. Long-time board member Harvey C. Jones has been appointed the company's first-ever board chair.

The leadership change comes at a significant moment for Nvidia, whose processors have become central to the global AI infrastructure boom.

The controversy behind Huang's exit

Huang's departure follows intense scrutiny over reports of alleged extramarital relationships and questions about possible national security implications.

On November 8, Huang acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife in a message to Nvidia employees. Subsequent media reports described two alleged relationships, including one involving Alice Huang, an executive at Singapore-based data centre company Megaspeed, and another involving Nvidia executive Kimberly Powell.

The New York Times reported that US intelligence officials suspected Alice Huang of having links to China's Ministry of State Security. China has rejected the allegations, while US Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Department of Justice had not reached a conclusion about whether she was involved in espionage.

Nvidia had announced an independent investigation into whether Huang had been targeted by a foreign intelligence effort. The company said it had no reason to believe national security or its confidential information had been compromised.

The developments have also drawn questions from US lawmakers seeking clarity on the reported intelligence concerns.

Will Jensen Huang take Musk up on the idea?

For now, Musk's response is the closest thing the internet has to a public endorsement of Huang's next career chapter. Whether the two billionaires will actually work together remains an open question.

Musk leads businesses spanning electric vehicles, space technology and artificial intelligence, while Huang's expertise lies in the chips and computing infrastructure powering the AI boom.

A potential collaboration would certainly attract attention across the technology industry. But until either side confirms a conversation, the exchange remains a social media moment rather than a recruitment announcement.

Still, if Huang is considering his options, he now knows one prospective employer would be happy to welcome him.