China reportedly recruited AI exec to spy on Jensen Huang

is a senior reporter covering technology, gaming, and more. He joined The Verge in 2019 after nearly two years at Techmeme.

China’s intelligence agency recruited Megaspeed executive Alice Huang to spy on Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, according to The New York Times. The Ministry of State Security (MSS) enlisted her to glean information about American AI chips and “potentially influence the company to push for its most advanced chips to be made available to China.” Megaspeed is a customer of Nvidia’s, and Alice Huang also has “relationships with executives at the highest levels of the A.I. chip industry,” including leaders at Gigabyte, the NYT says.

Last week, the NYT reported that Jensen Huang was seen as the target of a “Chinese spy plot” and shared details about Alice Huang and Jensen Huang’s relationship, but the information that China’s MSS had recruited her is new.

The NYT describes the relationship between Alice Huang and Jensen Huang, who are not related, as “close.” President Trump, who is friendly with Jensen Huang, was briefed last year about the relationship, but didn’t take any action. Yesterday, three House committees asked Jensen Huang to appear for a joint, closed-door briefing on his “interactions” with Alice Huang.

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