A Chinese businesswoman with reported ties to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was identified by US intelligence agencies as an asset gathering information for Beijing, according to a recent report by The New York Times. The woman, Alice Huang, also known as Huang Le, held a senior executive position at Megaspeed, a Singapore-based data center company already under US scrutiny for allegedly helping China bypass American export restrictions on advanced Nvidia AI chips.
Intelligence Findings and Trump's Inaction
US officials had suspected Alice Huang, a Chinese citizen, of assisting China in circumventing chip restrictions. However, intelligence findings indicating she was directly passing information to Beijing escalated concerns. Officials reportedly feared she could gain insight into President Donald Trump's strategic thinking through her relationship with Jensen Huang, who maintains close ties to the president. Such intelligence would be particularly valuable to Beijing ahead of Trump's planned visit to China.
The report also raised questions about whether Alice Huang was obtaining sensitive information about Nvidia itself, a company central to America's leadership in cutting-edge AI development. While the report did not specify what information she obtained or passed to Beijing, surveillance reportedly confirmed her close relationship with Jensen Huang, leading to the conclusion that she was a Chinese intelligence asset.
Former President Trump was briefed on these findings approximately a year ago but reportedly chose not to act. The New York Times cited sources familiar with classified intelligence, suggesting Trump was reluctant to disrupt Nvidia's chip business or further complicate trade relations with China. Initially, US officials believed Jensen Huang was unaware of the alleged intelligence activities, though some senior Trump administration officials have since questioned this.
Nvidia and Megaspeed Respond
Nvidia has rejected suggestions that Jensen Huang's interactions with Ms. Huang were unusual. John Rizzo, an Nvidia spokesman, stated, "Jensen's interactions with Ms. Huang are not unusual or unexpected. Meetings with customers are part of a C.E.O.'s job; Jensen talks with thousands of customer executives every year." The company affirmed that customers like Megaspeed receive only ordinary business information, not sensitive trade secrets or national security data.
Megaspeed's "current leadership" has stated they take the matter "extremely seriously" and are committed to investigating the allegations. The company has retained outside counsel to conduct an internal investigation and has informed US authorities of its willingness to cooperate.
Broader Scrutiny on Chip Exports
US authorities have been investigating Megaspeed since late 2024, following a Commerce Department official's visit to a Malaysian data center where Nvidia equipment was found still in boxes, raising suspicions about its ultimate destination. Singaporean authorities questioned Alice Huang in 2025 before her release. The Commerce Department's investigation into Megaspeed was subsequently transferred to the Justice Department this year.
Megaspeed is among several Southeast Asian companies purchasing Nvidia chips to operate data centers that provide computing services to Chinese businesses, an arrangement drawing significant scrutiny in Washington. Jensen Huang's influence within the Trump administration has also been highlighted, with the Nvidia chief reportedly lobbying for looser AI regulations and changes to chip export restrictions to China. Current and former US officials told the NYT that the relationship between Trump and the Nvidia CEO complicated efforts to tighten export controls, reportedly stalling some investigations and proposed trade sanctions. Nvidia maintains full compliance with US laws and denies any evidence of its chips being smuggled into China.