An ex-software engineer from Google, Linwei Ding, also known as Leon Ding, has been charged in the US for allegedly stealing trade secrets related to artificial intelligence (AI) while working secretly for two Chinese companies, reports said on Thursday.
The charges, filed in the state of California, accuse Ding of stealing over 500 confidential files, potentially putting the infrastructure of Google’s supercomputing data centres at risk.
Ding, a Chinese national, joined Google in 2019 with responsibilities that included the development of AI software.
According to the indictment, he began uploading information from Google’s network to his personal Google account in May 2022, continuing the unauthorised uploads periodically for a year.
During this time he is said to have spent several months working for Beijing Rongshu Lianzhi Technology, a start-up tech company in China, and started his own AI-focused tech firm, Shanghai Zhisuan Technology, where he served as the CEO.
The indictment reveals that Ding never disclosed his affiliations with the Chinese companies to Google, violating the company’s policies.
He applied to a China-based organisation to support his business, presenting it at an investor conference in China in November 2023.
Google became suspicious when Ding attempted to upload more files while in China, claiming it was to provide proof of his work for the tech giant.
Upon his return to the US, Ding resigned from Google, and the company, unaware of his activities, suspended his access.
Google later discovered the unauthorised uploads, prompting them to alert the authorities.
According to the BBC, José Castañeda, a spokesperson for Google, assured that the company has “strict safeguards” in place to prevent the theft of confidential information and trade secrets.
He mentioned that Google promptly reported the alleged wrongdoing to the authorities. US Attorney General Merrick Garland emphasised that Ding’s actions aimed at enriching himself by covertly working for companies seeking an advantage in the AI technology race.
FBI Director Christopher Wray stated that this case illustrates the lengths some Chinese companies go to steal American innovation.
The Justice Department announced the charges against Ding at an American Bar Association Conference in San Francisco, with Attorney General Merrick Garland highlighting the severity of Chinese economic espionage and the national security concerns tied to advancements in AI.
Google confirmed that Ding had stolen numerous documents, leading to the referral of the case to law enforcement.
AP News reported that each of the four counts of federal trade secret theft against Ding is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
The case underscores the high-stakes competition in the field of high technology, where artificial intelligence plays a pivotal role.
Foreign adversaries’ potential use of AI technologies to negatively impact the United States has been a growing concern, prompting the Justice Department to prioritise AI enforcement.
