China dismisses 'Chinese spy' narrative in Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang probe; calls it 'unsubstantiated'

China on Monday dismissed allegations linking Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to a Chinese intelligence operation, calling the claims "unsubstantiated", according to Reuters.

Responding to a question about Nvidia investigating whether Huang was targeted by a foreign intelligence effort, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular briefing in Beijing that the "so-called Chinese spy narrative" is unsubstantiated.

Also read: I was unfaithful to my wife: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits secret affair with Chinese spy Alice Huang; all you need to know about the controversy


Nvidia's board is examining whether Huang was the target of a foreign intelligence operation following a media report that linked him to Alice Huang, an unrelated former executive of Singapore-based company Megaspeed, who US authorities investigated and concluded was a Chinese intelligence asset.

The New York Times reported last month that Alice Huang, a Chinese citizen, had developed a relationship with the Nvidia chief. The report alleged that she had passed information directly to Beijing.

Who is Jensen Huang?

At 63, Huang is among Silicon Valley's longest-serving founder CEOs. He co-founded Nvidia in 1993 alongside Chris Malachowsky and Curtis Priem and has remained at its helm since its inception.

Born in Taiwan and brought up in the US, Huang played a central role in transforming Nvidia from a graphics chipmaker catering to the video game industry into the world's leading supplier of processors used in artificial intelligence.

His early bet on AI technology positioned Nvidia to benefit from the sharp rise in demand for computing power following the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022.

Known for his signature leather jackets and prominent appearances at product launches, Huang has become closely identified with the company he built.

He has been married to Lori Huang for decades. The two met while studying engineering and have two children, both of whom work at Nvidia.

Their daughter, Madison Huang, is a senior director of product and technical marketing for physical AI platforms at the company. Their son, Spencer Huang, oversees robotics software products.

In a message to employees on Sunday, Huang acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife and said he took "full responsibility" for his actions.

Also read: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's secret affair: Why did US intelligence suspect Alice Huang of spying for China?

What does Nvidia do?

Nvidia develops chips that power several major technology applications, including video games, autonomous vehicles, cloud computing and artificial intelligence.

The company moved early into AI computing under Huang's leadership. This helped place its processors at the centre of the industry's expansion after ChatGPT triggered a surge in demand for AI infrastructure in late 2022.

Nvidia has since become one of the world's most valuable companies and an important technology supplier to major global firms. Its valuation rose from $420 billion in late 2022 to $4.5 trillion as of November 6.

Who is Alice Huang and what is Megaspeed?

US authorities have been examining Singapore-based cloud computing company Megaspeed, an Nvidia customer, over suspicions that it helped China access advanced Nvidia AI chips that Washington has barred from being exported to the country.

A New York Times report last month alleged that Alice Huang, a Chinese citizen and former Megaspeed executive, had established a close association with Jensen Huang and shared information directly with Beijing.

Reuters said it could not independently verify the allegations in the report. It was also unable to establish Alice Huang's current employment status at Megaspeed.

The company's website identifies it as an Nvidia Cloud Partner in the Asia-Pacific region. Its offerings include Nvidia's GB200 NVL72 and HGX H100 chips.

Megaspeed did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday, which was a public holiday in Singapore.

Alice Huang did not respond to the New York Times when it initially published its report last month. Reuters was unable to establish her whereabouts to seek comment on Monday.

What national security concerns could the case raise?

Nvidia is a key player in the technology competition between the US and China. Since 2022, Washington has maintained restrictions on exports of advanced AI chips to China.

The allegations concerning Huang's association with Alice Huang have emerged at a sensitive time for the chipmaker. Investors are already questioning how sustainable the AI-driven growth boom will be, while the board's investigation has brought additional scrutiny to the executive who has led Nvidia throughout its rise.

Senior Republicans in the US House of Representatives have sought briefings from Huang following the New York Times report, pointing to potential national security implications.

Nvidia has maintained that its board has "no reason to believe" that US national security or company secrets were compromised. However, it has appointed an independent committee of directors to examine all available information.

How will Nvidia conduct the investigation?

Nvidia has said an independent committee of directors will supervise the probe, with assistance from external independent legal counsel.

The company added that Huang supports the investigation fully and has agreed to cooperate with the review.