A Chinese businesswoman who reportedly maintained close ties with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was recruited as a spy for China’s Ministry of State Security, according to a US intelligence memo cited by The New York Times, as concerns grow in Washington over the possible diversion of advanced Nvidia AI chips to China.
The woman, identified as Chinese national Alice Huang, also known as Huang Le, was a senior executive at Singapore-based data centre company Megaspeed. According to the report, US authorities determined that she was operating as an intelligence asset and transmitting information to Beijing.
The reported intelligence assessment has also brought renewed scrutiny to her relationship with Jensen Huang. US surveillance allegedly showed that the two maintained a close association, although there is no reported evidence that the Nvidia chief knowingly participated in any espionage activity.
Three Republican House committee chairs have now asked Jensen Huang to appear for a closed-door meeting to address the reported links and concerns surrounding the company’s dealings with China.
Nvidia has rejected the allegations, calling them “baseless”. The company has maintained that its business dealings comply with US laws and export-control requirements.
The controversy comes as Washington continues to tighten controls on the export of advanced artificial intelligence chips to China. Nvidia has been at the centre of the debate because of the importance of its high-end processors to the global AI industry.
The Nvidia CEO has previously lobbied the Trump administration over restrictions on chip exports to China. During the administration’s review of export controls, Huang and his wife reportedly travelled to Mar-a-Lago to press for continued access to the Chinese market for US technology companies.
