Nvidia Chief Seen As Target of Chinese Spy Plot

American intelligence agencies detected alarming evidence suggesting a top executive at a Singapore-based data center company may have been a Chinese intelligence asset. This person, named Alice Huang or Huang Le, was suspected of steering Nvidia A.I. chips to China and funneling information to Beijing. More shocking was the discovery that she had become close to Jensen Huang, the chief executive of Nvidia.

Huang, a Chinese citizen, had developed a deep link with Jensen Huang, one of the most powerful figures in the A.I. revolution and a close ally of then-President Trump. This revelation alarmed Washington, as Beijing was gaining insider access to Nvidia's CEO, a key figure in the AI race. The White House was briefed about these findings a year ago, but President Trump chose not to take any action, citing Nvidia's economic impact and the delicate trade relationship with China.

The story is based on classified intelligence, interviews with officials, and industry experts. American officials suspected Huang was helping China bypass restrictions on advanced A.I. chips, but the latest discovery raised even more troubling possibilities, including the potential for Huang to glean sensitive information about Nvidia's operations.

Nvidia denied any wrongdoing, stating that their interactions with Huang were routine business dealings and that they have full confidence in their security measures.