Can Nvidia survive without Jensen Huang?

In today’s CEO Daily: The Nvidia CEO’s ouster is looking more and more likely.

The big leadership story: Brian Chesky’s $100 million gift.

The markets: Mixed globally, as Nvidia sinks.

Plus: All the news and watercooler chat from Fortune.

Good morning. Can Nvidia survive without Jensen Huang? What could come next? I posed those questions to attendees at the B20 USA Summit in Washington this week. Hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, it drew leaders from 19 member countries, as well as the European Union and African Union, and those seeking investments or connections from other countries. The general mood was cautiously optimistic, with hope the midterms might usher in a more predictable policy climate and Washington’s infatuation with tech titans might morph into a healthier relationship. AI is moving from the frontier labs into companies; a recent Deloitte survey found 81% of global leaders say it’s improving the speed of decision-making and execution. 

This is a world where Nvidia can carry on without Huang—a possibility that’s become more likely as reports of a second affair have surfaced. Apple kept growing after Steve Jobs died and Uber has thrived since founder Travis Kalanick resigned under pressure almost a decade ago. And the revelations of recent days have people reassessing their view of Nvidia’s CEO.

Huang’s departure will hurt Nvidia’s talent, sales, reputation, and revenue which, together with fines and lawsuits, could make that falling stock price a new normal. But he’s already done a lot of damage. “With or without him, this is a mess,” said one CEO customer in D.C., who’s now worried about the security of his company’s data.........

© Fortune