Google Engineer Allegedly Pilfers AI Technology for Chinese Companies
Former Google Engineer Charged with Theft of AI Trade Secrets
A former employee of Google is facing serious legal repercussions for allegedly stealing sensitive information pertaining to the company’s artificial intelligence technology and collaborating with two firms in China.
Linwei Ding, who is 38 years old and a Chinese national, was arrested in Newark, California. He faces four counts of federal trade secret theft, each carrying a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison. According to the indictment, Ding, who began his tenure at Google in 2019, started transferring sensitive trade secrets to his personal Google Cloud account in 2021. By May 2, 2023, he reportedly managed to upload more than 500 distinct files containing confidential information.
Following the transfer of these trade secrets, Ding allegedly received an offer for a chief technology officer position at a startup AI company based in China and took part in meetings with investors for that enterprise. Furthermore, he is said to have founded and assumed the role of CEO for a startup in China dedicated to training AI models with supercomputing chips.
FBI Director Christopher Wray commented on the situation, highlighting the lengths to which individuals associated with companies in the People’s Republic of China might go to acquire American innovations. He emphasized that such theft of advanced technology and trade secrets from American firms not only impacts jobs but also poses significant economic and national security risks.
If found guilty on all charges, Ding could face a cumulative maximum sentence of 40 years and a fine of up to $1 million. This case exemplifies the ongoing tensions between the United States and China over issues of intellectual property theft, especially as both nations vie for leadership in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence.
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