The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating an alleged espionage affair involving Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang and a woman identified as Alice Huang, whom US authorities reportedly suspect of having links to Chinese intelligence.
US President Donald Trump disclosed the investigation while speaking to reporters, saying he had personally questioned the Nvidia boss about whether he knew the woman was allegedly a spy.
Trump said he spoke with Huang on Monday and asked whether he had any knowledge of her alleged intelligence activities.
“I asked him that question, ‘Did you have any idea she was a spy?’ He said, ‘I had no idea she was a spy,’ and I really believe him,” the president said.
The investigation comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing over technology, national security and allegations of Chinese espionage.
China has rejected the allegations, with its Foreign Ministry describing them as “entirely groundless, speculative and intended to smear and malign China”.
Meanwhile, Nvidia said it had commissioned an independent investigation into the matter. The company added that it had no reason to believe its trade secrets or US national security interests had been compromised.
The allegations have drawn attention because Nvidia occupies a central position in the global artificial intelligence industry. Its advanced chips are widely used in developing and operating AI systems, making the company an important player in the strategic technology competition between the United States and China.
However, the existence of an FBI investigation does not establish that espionage occurred or that Huang knowingly had any dealings with a foreign intelligence operative.
