China AI projects worth $3 billion in doubt after Huang’s departure
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on TechCrunch
Jensen Huang’s departure from Nvidia has cast uncertainty over more than $3 billion in AI computing projects in China, according to a Reuters analysis based on tenders and company documents. Beijing has dismissed as unfounded espionage allegations against a businesswoman linked to Nvidia’s former chief.
More than $3 billion in Chinese artificial intelligence computing projects are now in doubt following Jensen Huang’s departure from Nvidia, according to a Reuters review of public procurement notices, investment plans and company statements. These projects depend on Nvidia processors subject to US export restrictions, making it more difficult for Chinese companies to acquire them.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected on 10 November allegations that a Chinese businesswoman linked to Jensen Huang was a spy, describing them as unfounded. On Friday, a ministry spokesperson reiterated Beijing’s opposition to US export controls that disrupt global supply chains and said they were unaware of reports linking restricted Nvidia chips to a Shanghai data centre associated with Alice Huang, a former executive at Megaspeed.
In Singapore, the Ministry of Home Affairs said Alice Huang’s passport had been seized in June 2025 as part of an investigation into possible false declarations concerning server purchases. Police concluded in February 2026 that there was insufficient evidence to establish an offence related to those declarations, but the authorities said she had knowingly provided inaccurate information about her role at Megaspeed. She received a warning and was barred from returning to Singapore before recovering her passport that same month, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Uncertainty over the Chinese projects follows Nvidia’s launch of an independent investigation on 8 November into reports of a Chinese espionage operation targeting Jensen Huang. Nvidia launches investigation into operation targeting Jensen Huang was announced on 8 November, before investigation into alleged spy entrusted to law firm was handed to law firm Wachtell on 11 November.
