Democratic members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, specifically Gabe Amo of Rhode Island, Gregory W. Meeks of New York and Sydney Kamlager-Dove of California, have demanded that US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick address inquiries regarding the Trump administration’s export policies concerning advanced artificial intelligence computer chips, amid mounting concerns over operations by Beijing's intelligence apparatus, as reported by The New York Times.
The correspondence emerged as congressional leadership prepared for a scheduled intelligence briefing concerning Iran, though legislators from both parties intended to question CIA director John Ratcliffe and Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton regarding an operative for China’s Ministry of State Security who maintained a personal relationship with Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang.
Deep Dive
Why are Democrats demanding answers about Trump’s AI chip export policy?
How could Nvidia’s CEO controversy affect US restrictions on AI chip sales to China?
What concerns have lawmakers raised about advanced Nvidia chips reaching China?
In their communication, the lawmakers challenged the Commerce Department regarding authorisations permitting advanced processor shipments overseas.
{{/usCountry}}In their communication, the lawmakers challenged the Commerce Department regarding authorisations permitting advanced processor shipments overseas.
{{/usCountry}}“You cannot claim to be protecting American leadership in artificial intelligence while allowing our most advanced technology to reach a strategic competitor,” the lawmakers wrote. “National security must come before corporate sales targets.”
As noted in recent coverage by The NYT, Alice Huang, a former executive at the Singapore-headquartered data centre firm Megaspeed, was engaged by Chinese intelligence.
Megaspeed procured Nvidia hardware and established data facilities across Southeast Asia that served mainland Chinese enterprises, including Alibaba.
Additional reporting published by The NYT highlighted that the Commerce Department cleared licensing approvals for dispatching sophisticated AI hardware to Beijing-affiliated entities, military contractors and blacklisted firms.
“Allowing China to obtain advanced US AI chips puts our national security at risk,” the lawmakers wrote. “These chips power the computing capabilities that will shape the future of artificial intelligence, military modernisation and economic competition.”
Also Read: Trump says FBI probing Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang as China controversy deepens
Nvidia's board announced an inquiry into the connection between Alice Huang and the company's chief executive.
Jensen Huang released a video address admitting to the affair while confirming that he would remain at the helm during the ongoing probe.
Parallel legislative scrutiny is intensifying as Republicans across three congressional panels summoned Jensen Huang for a closed-door deposition to examine potential proprietary leaks and his associations with Alice Huang, a development further detailed in reports by The NYT.
Individuals briefed on intelligence matters indicated that Alice Huang operated on behalf of China’s Ministry of State Security with instructions to gather intelligence regarding Nvidia’s cutting-edge AI architecture and facilitate technology acquisition for Beijing.
The US government has prohibited shipments of Nvidia's most powerful hardware to China, a restriction Jensen Huang has openly contested, as tracked through ongoing investigations cited by The NYT.