Former Google Engineer Charged with Stealing AI Secrets for Chinese Companies

In a recent development, a former Google engineer, Linwei Ding, also known as Leon Ding, has been indicted in California for allegedly stealing valuable information related to artificial intelligence (AI) from the tech giant. The 38-year-old Chinese national was apprehended at his residence in Newark, California.

The charges against Ding include four counts of stealing trade data, with authorities asserting that he used this stolen information to assist two Chinese companies he was secretly collaborating with. This incident has unfolded amidst heightened concerns from the Biden administration about safeguarding sensitive technologies from being misappropriated by countries like Russia and China.

The Justice Department will not allow the theft of trade secrets and intelligence, said Merrick Garland, U.S. Attorney General.

Ding’s alleged theft involved acquiring detailed data concerning Google’s supercomputing data centers, which are instrumental in training AI models. The stolen data included specifics about the software and hardware powering these centers, elevating the capabilities of these facilities in AI technologies and machine learning.

Furthermore, it was disclosed that Google had developed these chips to compete with industry giants like Microsoft and Amazon in the cloud computing field while aiming to lessen its dependence on chips sourced from Nvidia.

According to the indictment, Ding joined Google’s workforce in 2019 but commenced pilfering information in 2022, coinciding with discussions about his prospective role as the chief technology officer of a Chinese tech firm. By May 2023, he had allegedly transferred over 500 confidential files.

The indictment also references Ding’s establishment of his own technology company in May 2023, during which he shared a document within a chat group stating that they have experience with Google’s powerful platform and are required to just replicate and improve it.

Suspicions surrounding Ding arose at Google in December 2023, leading to the confiscation of his laptop on January 4, 2024, just a day prior to his intended resignation. A Google spokesperson named Jose Castaneda emphasized the company’s stringent protocols against the unauthorized dissemination of confidential information. Castaneda remarked after an investigation, they found that this employee stole many documents, and they quickly reported the case to law officials.

If convicted, Ding could potentially face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each charge brought against him. This case underscores the ongoing challenges tech companies face in safeguarding their proprietary technologies in an increasingly competitive and interconnected global landscape.