Nvidia CEO was reportedly targeted by suspected Chinese intelligence asset
US intelligence agencies believe Nvidia chief Jensen Huang was targeted by a suspected Chinese spy asset, The New York Times reported, according to The Guardian, CNBC and CNET. The Times named her as Alice Huang, an executive at a firm called Megaspeed. Nvidia says the CEO's talks with her were normal customer meetings and that she got no secrets.
US intelligence agencies believe Nvidia chief Jensen Huang was targeted by a suspected Chinese intelligence asset, The New York Times reported Thursday. The Guardian, CNBC and CNET carried the Times report.
The Times identified her as Alice Huang, who is not related to the Nvidia CEO, the outlets report. She is an executive at Megaspeed, a Singapore-based data center company that buys Nvidia chips, the outlets report. US officials had put her under surveillance over suspicions that she helped smuggle Nvidia chips to China, The Guardian and CNET report, citing the Times. CNET says the Times did not detail what information she may have shared.
During that watch, officials came to believe she had grown close to Jensen Huang, the outlets report. White House officials were alarmed because of Jensen Huang's close ties to President Donald Trump, The Guardian reports, citing the Times.
Nvidia pushed back on the report. "Meetings with customers are part of a CEO's job," a spokesperson said, The Guardian reports. Nvidia said customers like Megaspeed get normal business information, not trade secrets, the outlets report. "The diversion allegations against this regional cloud were thoroughly investigated and debunked last year," the spokesperson said, CNBC reports.
The US limits sales of its most advanced AI chips to China, the outlets report. The White House, the Justice Department and Megaspeed did not immediately respond to requests for comment, CNET reports.
What we know: The Times reports US officials see Alice Huang as a Chinese intelligence asset who grew close to Jensen Huang.
What we don't: What information, if any, she passed to Beijing.
Where outlets agree The Guardian, CNBC and CNET report the New York Times said US officials believe Jensen Huang was targeted by a suspected Chinese intelligence asset.
Where they differ The New York Times report describes Alice Huang as a suspected Chinese intelligence asset. Nvidia says Jensen Huang's meetings with her were normal and that no secrets were shared.