US officials allege Nvidia CEO's alleged affair linked to Chinese intelligence concerns

U.S. intelligence officials have alleged that Alice Huang, who previously served as chief executive of Singapore-based datacentre company Megaspeed, was recruited to obtain information on American AI chips and to influence Nvidia to make advanced chips available to China. The officials also said she had a romantic relationship with Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang, a claim the Chinese government has dismissed as "nothing but smears."

People briefed on the intelligence assessment told the New York Times that Huang was believed to have been recruited as part of efforts to learn more about American AI chips and to persuade Nvidia to expand chip sales to China.

Megaspeed, which describes itself on LinkedIn as "a premier business partner of Nvidia," listed Huang as its chief executive in the past. Photographs and video from industry events in Taipei in 2024 and 2025 show the two sitting together, sharing a kiss on the cheek, and leaving a restaurant in the same car.

A New York-based short-selling firm first raised concerns about the "uncomfortably close relationship" six months ago. A memo cited by the Financial Times said U.S. officials had written that the two were romantically involved. Jensen Huang later sent a company-wide email apologising for an affair and said he would cooperate with an investigation into national-security concerns raised in news reports, without naming Alice Huang.

Alice Huang has not made a public statement, and her current whereabouts are unknown. It is unclear whether she remains linked to Megaspeed, which was previously known as 7Road International, a Chinese gaming company with ties to state-backed investors. Singaporean authorities questioned Huang during their own probe of the firm but released her without charge. Nvidia has said it examined Megaspeed and found no cause for concern.