Ex-Google engineer found guilty of stealing AI trade secrets to help Chinese companies

Google

• Ex-Google engineer convicted of stealing AI secrets to aid Chinese tech firms
• Linwei Ding found guilty on 14 counts, including economic espionage and theft
• Ding to be sentenced for stealing 2,000+ pages of confidential Google AI data

Did our AI summary help?

A former Google engineer has been found guilty in the United States for stealing sensitive artificial intelligence information from the company and using it to help Chinese tech firms he was secretly working with.

According to a report by CBS News, a federal jury in California on Thursday convicted Linwei Ding, also known as Leon Ding, on 14 criminal counts. These include seven counts of economic espionage and seven counts of stealing trade secrets. The verdict came after an 11-day trial.

Ding, who is 38 years old, joined Google in 2019 and was based in Newark, California. Prosecutors said that between May 2022 and April 2023, he took more than 2,000 pages of confidential documents related to Google’s work in artificial intelligence. These documents contained internal details that Google treats as highly sensitive.

Court records showed that Ding uploaded this information to his personal Google Cloud account while still working at Google. At the same time, he was quietly building ties with two technology companies based in China. Prosecutors said that by mid-2022, Ding was already in talks to become the chief technology officer of a young tech firm. A few months later, he was also setting up his own AI and machine learning company in China, where he planned to act as its chief executive.

During this period, Ding reportedly told potential investors that he could build an advanced AI system by copying and modifying Google’s technology. Prosecutors argued that this showed a clear intention to use stolen information for personal and business gain.

In late 2023, Ding allegedly downloaded the confidential material onto his personal computer shortly before resigning from Google. The case came to light after Google discovered that Ding had introduced himself as the CEO of a Chinese tech company at an investor event in Beijing. Around the same time, Ding informed his manager that he was leaving Google and booked a one-way flight to China.

Federal investigators later stepped in, leading to the charges and trial.

Reacting to the verdict, U.S. Attorney Craig Missakian said Silicon Valley plays a major role in global AI innovation and national security. He added that the jury’s decision sends a strong message that stealing important technology will have serious consequences.

Ding now faces sentencing, which will be decided at a later date. The case highlights growing concerns around AI security and the protection of sensitive technology as competition in the field continues to intensify worldwide.