China Denies Spying on Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Amid US Intelligence Allegations

China has denied allegations that a suspected Chinese intelligence operative targeted Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, dismissing the claims as groundless speculation.

According to a New York Times investigation, US intelligence officials suspect Alice Huang, a Chinese businesswoman also known as Huang Le, of gathering information for Beijing while maintaining a relationship with Nvidia’s CEO.

Alice Huang has ties to Singapore-based Megaspeed, a company that previously faced scrutiny over allegations of diverting restricted Nvidia AI chips to China.

US intelligence reportedly monitored suspected Chinese operative

US intelligence agencies reportedly monitored Alice Huang and concluded that she was acting on behalf of the Chinese government.

During surveillance, officials allegedly intercepted communications between Alice Huang and Jensen Huang. Investigators identified the Nvidia CEO through an intelligence procedure known as unmasking.

The investigation also examined Megaspeed’s potential role in helping Chinese companies obtain advanced Nvidia AI chips despite US export restrictions.

However, the report does not establish what information Alice Huang allegedly obtained, whether it had intelligence value, or when the suspected activity began. The espionage claims remain unproven publicly.

China rejects claims as Nvidia defends Jensen Huang

On October 30, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun rejected the allegations, accusing Washington of attempting to smear China.

Nvidia also defended its CEO’s interactions with Alice Huang, maintaining that they involved ordinary business discussions.

Company spokesperson John Rizzo said Megaspeed received routine business information rather than sensitive trade secrets or national security information.

Nvidia also maintained that previous accusations involving Megaspeed’s alleged smuggling of restricted AI chips into China had already been investigated and debunked.

The company reiterated that it complies with applicable US export regulations.

Alice Huang did not respond to requests for comment.

Megaspeed launches investigation into allegations

Megaspeed said its management appointed external legal advisers to investigate the allegations and offered to cooperate with US authorities.

The controversy comes as Washington continues restricting exports of advanced AI chips to China over national security concerns.

The allegations also highlight the growing scrutiny surrounding Nvidia’s business relationships as the US and China compete for leadership in artificial intelligence.

For now, neither the alleged intelligence operation nor the claim that Jensen Huang disclosed sensitive information has been publicly substantiated.

In other news, NVIDIA’s CEO has suggested that annual GPU subscription fees could become part of the company’s business. Meanwhile, rumors suggest the RTX 5090 could make way for a 24GB RTX 5080, although NVIDIA has denied plans to discontinue the RTX 5090.

Via BBC