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US technology giant Nvidia has opened an independent investigation into allegations that its CEO, Jensen Huang, had an affair with a Chinese spy.
The company is today the leading developer of chips for artificial intelligence, supplying the graphics processors that have become the basis of the data centers that train and operate large AI models.
In a statement released Sunday, Huang admitted to having been unfaithful to his wife, adding that he supports the investigation and is committed to "supporting U.S. national security."
Nvidia says it has no reason to believe its secrets or national security have been compromised, but says it will "examine all available information."
The identity of the alleged spy has not been officially confirmed by authorities, but has been the subject of various speculations in the press.
The New York Times reported last month that US intelligence authorities believe that businesswoman Alice Huang, who had a close relationship with the head of Nvidia, was a spy for Beijing.
The newspaper reported, citing unidentified sources, that American intelligence agencies had been monitoring the Chinese businesswoman (who is not related to Jensen Huang, despite the same surname) and concluded that she was acting under guidance from Beijing.
Surveillance carried out by American intelligence would have revealed communications between the alleged spy and an American citizen, who was later identified as Jensen Huang through a process known as "unmasking".
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It is unclear what information Alice Huang — also known as Huang Le — would have passed on to Beijing, how important that information was, or when she would have started collecting intelligence.
Alice Huang did not respond to the newspaper's requests for comment.
The businesswoman is linked to Megaspeed, a data center company based in Singapore. The company told the NYT last month that it takes the allegations seriously and has appointed outside legal counsel to conduct an internal investigation.
Nvidia said it was unaware of U.S. intelligence officials' concerns about Megaspeed.
But in the past, Megaspeed had been suspected of diverting Nvidia chips to China, bypassing export controls imposed by the US government. Nvidia says these claims were investigated and debunked.
So, was Nvidia aware of US intelligence officials' concerns involving Megaspeed?
"We trust that if we were the target of a genuine threat, the US government would have notified us," an Nvidia spokesperson told the BBC on Sunday evening.
The Chinese government denies allegations that it was using spies against Nvidia.
"The allegations about Chinese spies are completely baseless, speculative and aimed to defame and discredit China," Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters.
USA x China dispute
Credit, Reuters
Nvidia is one of the companies that has appreciated the most in recent years and is at the center of the race for artificial intelligence between the US and China.
The news that Jensen Huang had a romantic relationship with an alleged Chinese spy raised national security concerns among American parliamentarians.
Last week, after the relationship was reported, members of the US Congress wrote to Jensen Huang asking him to provide clarification on the matter.
Three Republican committee leaders in the House of Representatives asked the CEO to appear later this month to discuss "Nvidia's security protocols against espionage by foreign adversaries", considering his alleged relationship with Alice Huang.
The U.S. advantage over China in the race for AI primacy lies with companies like Nvidia, which designs some of the most sophisticated artificial intelligence chips on the planet.
Since 2022, the US has used various export controls to prevent the most advanced technologies from reaching China, saying this helps preserve America's competitive advantage and protects its national security.
But that means companies like Nvidia have been largely shut out of the lucrative Chinese market.
Despite his apparent closeness to Trump, Huang also failed to get government approval to sell chips to China.
Huang has publicly advocated dialogue between the US and China on the development of artificial intelligence. But his words did not sensitize the Trump administration, which has framed the race for AI as a national security issue.
Nvidia's board of directors said it had "no reason to believe that Nvidia's national security or secrets have been compromised." Huang said he was committed to "supporting US national security."
US President Donald Trump said he has not spoken to the Nvidia chief since news broke about the investigation.
"I just know he's a great person, but you never know what's going on," Trump told reporters late Sunday night, adding that Huang has done "an extraordinary job for our country."
The New York Times reported in late October that Trump had been briefed last year on intelligence that alleged Alice Huang was spying on behalf of China.
Asked by journalists whether he now wishes he had "acted on the intelligence" at the time, Trump responded: "No, I don't. I think he's an honorable guy."
Who is Jensen Huang
Jensen Huang is married to Lori Mills, whom he met at Oregon State University while studying electrical engineering in the early 1980s. The two were laboratory partners.
They married in 1985, about eight years before he founded Nvidia, and have two children, Madison and Spencer.
In 2007, the couple created the Jen-Hsun and Lori Huang Foundation.
The philanthropic institution's assets have grown significantly in recent years, driven by the strong appreciation of Nvidia shares, and are estimated at more than US$9 billion.
Among his donations are tens of millions of dollars earmarked for engineering programs at Oregon State University and Stanford University.
In a statement, Jensen Huang admitted to having been "unfaithful" to his wife and apologized for hurting her and their children.
"I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did. I am deeply, deeply sorry," he said in a statement.
"Regarding national security concerns mentioned in reports, Nvidia's board of directors has initiated an independent investigation. I support the investigation and will fully cooperate," the text continued.
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