Companies linked to Chinese businesswoman Alice Huang have invested in artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek and reportedly promised to supply it with advanced Nvidia chips restricted from export to China, according to a report by The Information.
According to the report, companies associated with Huang, also known as Huang Le, participated in DeepSeek's second funding round, with the investment aimed at establishing closer business ties and positioning her network as a potential supplier of Nvidia's high-end AI processors.
The size of the investment has not been disclosed. It also remains unclear whether the promised chips have actually been delivered to DeepSeek.
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The development has brought renewed attention to Huang's business connections and the movement of restricted semiconductor technology into China, particularly as Washington continues to tighten controls on advanced AI hardware.
According to The Information, Huang's business network includes Singapore-based data centre operator Megaspeed International and China-based Shanghai Century Litong, commonly known as Litong.
Litong has allegedly emerged as a significant channel for moving restricted Nvidia AI processors into China. The report said the company helped bring around 240,000 Nvidia chips, collectively valued at at least $7.5 billion, into the country since 2023.
The reported supply arrangement with DeepSeek is particularly significant because it involves Nvidia's Blackwell processors, among the company's most advanced chips. These semiconductors are subject to US export restrictions on sales to China.
Huang's links to Megaspeed have also attracted scrutiny. According to Reuters, she became the controlling shareholder of the Singapore-based cloud computing company after previously holding senior positions at a Shanghai investment firm.
Reuters said it reviewed more than 30 publicly available financial records, corporate filings and company materials relating to Huang and her business interests.
Nvidia lists Megaspeed as an official cloud partner in its partner directory. The company came under public scrutiny in October 2025 after The New York Times reported that it was being investigated by US authorities over concerns that it could be helping Chinese customers access advanced Nvidia chips restricted under American export controls.
Huang has also attracted attention because of her reported connections with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.
In a separate report last month, The New York Times said US authorities had concluded that Alice Huang was a Chinese intelligence asset who had passed information to Beijing while developing a close relationship with the Nvidia chief executive.
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These claims, along with the latest allegations surrounding DeepSeek and Nvidia chip supplies, have placed Huang's business network under greater scrutiny. The reported investment and supply commitment also come at a sensitive time for the US semiconductor industry, as Washington seeks to prevent China from accessing advanced computing technology that could strengthen its artificial intelligence capabilities.
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