NVIDIA's event in Seoul aimed at expanding collaboration with the domestic artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem opened with a subdued atmosphere amid the scandal involving CEO Jensen Huang. Following the cancellation of his daughter Madison Huang's visit to South Korea, attendees were informed at the first session that questions would not be taken without further explanation.
On November 9, NVIDIA held its 'NVIDIA AI Day Seoul 2026' at COEX in Gangnam, with approximately 2,000 developers and industry representatives expected to attend over the two-day event. NVIDIA prepared 15 technical sessions to showcase the latest technologies and industry applications, focusing on physical AI and agentic AI.
However, just before the event began, Huang's personal issues emerged as an unexpected variable. On November 8, he acknowledged having an affair with a female entrepreneur linked to Chinese intelligence agencies and apologized to his family and employees.
NVIDIA's board of directors has initiated an independent investigation into allegations that Huang has been targeted by foreign intelligence agencies. However, they stated there is no evidence suggesting a breach of national security or company confidentiality.
In the meantime, Madison Huang, who oversees marketing for NVIDIA's Omniverse and robotics products, also canceled her trip to South Korea. Consequently, her scheduled meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Lee Jong-ho on November 8 was canceled. Another executive will now represent NVIDIA at a domestic AI startup event that Madison Huang was supposed to attend. NVIDIA cited family reasons for the cancellation, and no direct connection to the scandal has been confirmed.
During the first plenary session held in the auditorium on the third floor of COEX, the moderator announced that questions from attendees would not be accepted at the start. No specific reason was provided. It remains unclear whether this decision was related to the controversy surrounding Huang, especially following the cancellation of key executives' visits.
Despite the chaotic atmosphere, the technology presentations proceeded as planned. During the event, Deepu Talla, NVIDIA's vice president of robotics and edge AI, declared the dawn of a 'Golden Age of Physical AI.' He explained that advancements in agentic AI, which can make decisions and take actions independently, are accelerating the development of robotics and their implementation in real-world industries.
Talla categorized robot development into three stages: learning, simulation, and deployment. He introduced NVIDIA's AI learning system 'DGX,' the simulation platform 'RTX,' and the 'Jetson' platform for robot operation. He also highlighted key technologies such as the digital twin platform 'Omniverse' for training robots in virtual environments and 'Groot' for humanoid robot development.
Jung So-young, the representative of NVIDIA Korea, emphasized that AI technology is evolving from generative AI to agentic AI and now to physical AI. NVIDIA will continue its technical sessions on the first afternoon of the event and will conduct hands-on programs for developers on November 10.
However, the overlap of the CEO's allegations and the cancellation of key executives' visits is expected to disrupt the planned external engagement schedule, which was intended to announce the expansion of cooperation with the South Korean government and industry.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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