Ex-Google Engineer Charged with Stealing AI Trade Secrets for Chinese Companies
Subsequent surveillance footage revealed discrepancies in Ding's physical presence at Google's U.S. building, further implicating him in the theft.
A former software engineer at Google has been charged with stealing artificial intelligence trade secrets from the company. Linwei Ding, a Chinese national, was arrested on four counts of federal trade secret theft, each carrying a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison, according to AP news.
The charges allege that Ding, while employed at Google, secretly worked with two Chinese companies and began uploading hundreds of files containing confidential information about Google's supercomputing data centers to a personal Google Cloud account. Within weeks of initiating the theft, Ding was offered a position as chief technology officer at an early-stage technology firm in China, emphasizing its use of AI technology. Additionally, he founded and served as chief executive of a China-based startup aspiring to train large AI models powered by supercomputing chips.
Authorities assert that Ding concealed his affiliations with these Chinese companies from Google, where he was described as a junior employee. Google's internal investigation uncovered Ding's unauthorized uploads, prompting the company to suspend his network access and lock his laptop. Subsequent surveillance footage revealed discrepancies in Ding's physical presence at Google's U.S. building, further implicating him in the theft.
The case underscores growing concerns about the theft of innovative technology and trade secrets from American companies, with FBI Director Christopher Wray warning about the economic and national security consequences of such actions. The Department of Justice has heightened its focus on AI-related espionage, acknowledging the potential for foreign adversaries to exploit AI technologies to undermine U.S. interests.
The indictment against Ding comes as an effort by the U.S. government to safeguard American innovation and prevent the unauthorized transfer of sensitive technologies to foreign entities. As the Justice Department continues its crackdown on economic espionage, the case serves as a stark reminder of the challenges posed by the intersection of emerging technologies, national security, and international competition.
