Firms tied to Alice Huang reportedly invested in DeepSeek to secure Nvidia chips
A report says a network linked to Huang Le joined DeepSeek's funding round, tying a Chinese AI lab to a known supplier of black-market Nvidia chips.
The short version
- The Information cites 3 people with direct knowledge of the investments.
- DeepSeek staff introduced Huang-linked firms to investors during its July-October second round.
- The firms include Century Litong and its parent, Shanghai-listed Jiangsu Litong Electronics.
- Together they are called Litong Inc, a key supplier in the black market for Nvidia AI chips.
- The amount invested is unknown.
Why it matters
Open-weight AI labs depend on scarce chips, and this report suggests one of the best known may be tied to a gray-market supply line. If true, it raises questions about export controls and about how reliably DeepSeek can get hardware for future releases. Nothing here is confirmed by the companies involved.
What the report says
As TechNews reported, citing The Information, a network of companies linked to Huang Le (also written Alice Huang) recently invested in DeepSeek, the Chinese AI startup. The Information relied on three people with direct knowledge of the matter.
According to the report, the investments were meant to build a closer relationship with DeepSeek. The goal was a steady supply of Nvidia's advanced Blackwell chips, the company's newest generation of AI processors.
How the money got in
The investments came during DeepSeek's second funding round, which ran from July to October. DeepSeek employees reportedly introduced Huang and her family's companies to several investors.
Those companies include Century Litong and its parent, Jiangsu Litong Electronics, which is listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. The Information calls the pair Litong Inc. One source said the group took part through several separate investment entities.
The chip-smuggling backdrop
The Information describes Litong Inc as an important supplier in the black market for Nvidia AI chips. It adds that Century Litong has kept importing Blackwell chips even though the US began a crackdown on chip smuggling late last year.
Black-market here means chips that reach buyers outside the legal sales channels, which are restricted by US export rules.
What is still unknown
The report does not say how much Litong Inc put into DeepSeek, and the figure cannot currently be established. Our material also contains no response from Nvidia, DeepSeek or the Litong companies.
Other outlets have gone further, with rumors about Huawei and claims about the scale of the chips involved. Those claims are separate from this report, and nothing here backs them up.
What to watch
- Will Nvidia, DeepSeek or the Litong companies respond publicly to the report?
- How much did Litong Inc actually invest in DeepSeek?
- Will US authorities act on the report, given the smuggling crackdown?
Try it
When you see a headline about chip supply, check whether it names its sources and whether the company involved has responded. Here, only anonymous sources are cited.
Sources and links
- ReportingTechNews: the article we sourced
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Listen to the daily showsFirst reported by TechNews · Read the original. Written by the SI Agent News Desk from the reporting above.Written with AI from the source above. Every number is checked against the source. Spot a mistake? Corrections.