Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Summoned By Congress Over Chinese Espionage Concerns (arstechnica.com) 8
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Top Republican lawmakers have asked Jensen Huang to appear before Congress to answer questions after it was reported that US intelligence officials believe Nvidia's chief executive has been targeted by a Chinese spying operation. The chairs of the House committees on China, foreign affairs, and intelligence wrote to Huang this week asking him to appear before a joint closed-door briefing for their committees on November 18. "Recent reports raise significant national security concerns regarding the People's Republic of China's access to sensitive US technology and information," representatives John Moolenaar, Brian Mast, and Rick Crawford wrote. "The issue of PRC infiltration and access to cutting-edge US technology is core to the investigative work of our three committees this Congress. It is vital that Congress determines the extent to which US national security has been placed at risk," the lawmakers added.
The New York Times last week wrote that US intelligence officials believed Huang had been the target of a Chinese spy operation. The concerns center on a Chinese woman named Alice Huang, an executive at Megaspeed, a Singapore-based cloud company that has bought billions of dollars of Nvidia's chips. Nvidia has rejected the claims and on Thursday would not say if Huang would appear before Congress. "Meetings with customers are part of a CEO's job. Jensen talks with thousands of customer executives every year," the company said. "Our regional cloud customers receive ordinary business information -- not sensitive Nvidia trade secrets -- and zero information relevant to national security," it added.
The lawmakers said they wanted Huang to discuss the security protocols Nvidia had in place to protect against "foreign adversary espionage." The company said its chief executive had an "outstanding security team" that travels with him. The New York Times said Huang had not received a "defensive briefing," which the intelligence community usually, but not always, provides potential espionage targets to warn them about the activity. Nvidia said it was confident that the US government would have let the company know if it thought a person was a threat to US industry and that it often receives updates from Washington about people of concern.
The New York Times last week wrote that US intelligence officials believed Huang had been the target of a Chinese spy operation. The concerns center on a Chinese woman named Alice Huang, an executive at Megaspeed, a Singapore-based cloud company that has bought billions of dollars of Nvidia's chips. Nvidia has rejected the claims and on Thursday would not say if Huang would appear before Congress. "Meetings with customers are part of a CEO's job. Jensen talks with thousands of customer executives every year," the company said. "Our regional cloud customers receive ordinary business information -- not sensitive Nvidia trade secrets -- and zero information relevant to national security," it added.
The lawmakers said they wanted Huang to discuss the security protocols Nvidia had in place to protect against "foreign adversary espionage." The company said its chief executive had an "outstanding security team" that travels with him. The New York Times said Huang had not received a "defensive briefing," which the intelligence community usually, but not always, provides potential espionage targets to warn them about the activity. Nvidia said it was confident that the US government would have let the company know if it thought a person was a threat to US industry and that it often receives updates from Washington about people of concern.
Only one? (Score:1)
As topic suggests, I would argue that if he was targeted by only one PRC spy operation, then PRC's natsec apparatus should execute everyone involved in foreign espionage in field of AI, chip design and VIP related intelligence for gross negligence and dereliction of duty.
Seriously, this is #1 target for AI, in top 10 for chip design and in top 100 for VIP related stuff. These sorts of people get several different agencies assigned to spy on them, who run multiple concurrent operations.
Re: (Score:2)
That certainly sounds right. There would be teams assigned to spy on him.
This event, by Republican politicians, sounds like the usual "scare the people about a claimed external threat" to shore up votes, than an actual concern for their topic.
Re:Only one? (Score:4, Interesting)
I think Nvidia is now America's biggest exporter, overtaking Boeing. What's going on there matters quite a lot to the nation. It is a vital interest now.
Though I kinda wish they had stuck with just making videocards. I might still be able to afford one.
Re: (Score:3)
Better Timelines? (Score:2)
The Ars article makes it sound like this has been a secret for a while:
The New York Times last week wrote that US intelligence officials believed Huang had been the target of a Chinese spy operation.
Nvidia said it was confident that the US government would have let the company know if it thought a person was a threat to US industry and that it often receives updates from Washington about people of concern.
But the New York Times was publicly reporting on this in October of last year... [nytimes.com]
A Mystery C.E.O. and Billions in Sales: Is China Buying Banned Nvidia Chips?
An executive of a Singaporean firm called Megaspeed socialized with Nvidia’s Jensen Huang. Now the company is being scrutinized by U.S. officials for its ties to China.
Also call me skeptical how much the NVIDIA CEO needs to be told that a Chinese business woman might be trying to snoop...
Re: (Score:2)
\A Mystery C.E.O. and Billions in Sales: Is China Buying Banned Nvidia Chips?
Supply chains are such that it does not require CEO collusion to get goods to sanctioned countries.
\Also call me skeptical how much the NVIDIA CEO needs to be told that a Chinese business woman might be trying to snoop.
As we saw with various US Senators, Members of the House of Representatives, Mayors, Mayors, University Chancellor/President, etc. I'm sure most of the targeted thought they were the exception, that they were interesting enough, or wealthy enough.