China’s intelligence service recruited a tech executive to spy on Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, according to The New York Times. The goal was information about American AI chips.
The executive is Alice Huang, who worked at Megaspeed. Megaspeed is a customer of Nvidia. The Ministry of State Security enlisted her to gather details on US chip technology and to push the company toward selling its most advanced chips to China.
The two Huangs are not related. The Times describes their relationship as close. It also says Alice Huang has ties to executives across the AI chip industry, including leaders at Gigabyte.
This is not a brand new thread. Last week, the Times reported that Jensen Huang had been the target of what it called a “Chinese spy plot.” The detail that the MSS had recruited Alice Huang is new.
Washington knew something. President Trump was briefed last year about the relationship, according to the report, but did not take action.
Congress is now moving. Yesterday, three House committees asked Jensen Huang to appear for a joint, closed-door briefing about his interactions with Alice Huang. A closed session limits what the public will hear.
The timing is awkward for Nvidia. The company spent years lobbying to sell chips into China. The Trump administration relaxed export limits after Nvidia agreed to hand over a 15 percent cut of those sales.
Security analysts have raised a second concern. Approvals for Chinese buyers have gone to firms with thin footprints and ties to blacklisted entities. That pattern suggests vetting is not keeping pace with the sales push.
Nvidia has not commented publicly on the specific allegation. The committees have not announced a date for the briefing.
Sources: The Verge — China reportedly recruited AI exec to spy on Jensen Huang and The Verge — The US let Nvidia sell chips to an empty office in China
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