Ex- Google Engineer Charged With Stealing AI Trade Secrets While Working With Chinese Companies

Washington—The Justice Department announced Wednesday that a former Google software engineer has been charged with stealing the company’s artificial intelligence trade secrets while surreptitiously working for two Chinese companies.

Linwei Ding, a Chinese national, was arrested in Newark, California, for four charges of federal trade secret theft, each punishable by up to ten years in prison.

Ex- Google Engineer Charged With Stealing AI Trade Secrets While Working With Chinese Companies

Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the case against Ding at an American Bar Association Conference in San Francisco. He, along with other law enforcement leaders, has repeatedly warned about the threat of Chinese economic espionage and the national security concerns raised by advances in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.

“Today’s charges are the latest illustration of the lengths affiliates of companies based in the People’s Republic of China are willing to go to steal American innovation,” stated FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The theft of innovative technology and trade secrets from American companies can cost jobs and have devastating economic and national security consequences.”

Google said it had concluded that the employee had stolen “numerous documents” and had submitted the case to law enforcement.

“We have strict safeguards in place to prevent the theft of our confidential commercial information and trade secrets,” Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda said in a statement. “After an investigation, we discovered that this employee took various documents, and we promptly reported the incident to law enforcement. We appreciate the FBI’s assistance in protecting our information and will continue to work closely with them.

Artificial intelligence is the primary battleground for high-tech competitors, and who dominates can have far-reaching commercial and security repercussions. Recently, Justice Department chiefs have warned that foreign foes may use AI technologies to harm the United States.

Ex- Google Engineer Charged With Stealing AI Trade Secrets While Working With Chinese Companies

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco stated in a speech last month that the administration’s multi-agency Disruptive Technology Strike Force would prioritize AI enforcement, and Wray told business leaders at a recent event that AI and other emerging technologies had made it easier for adversaries to attempt to interfere with the American political process.

“As with all evolving technologies, it has pluses and minuses, advantages and disadvantages, great promise and the risk of great harm,” Garland said at the AI conference in San Francisco. He said the Justice Department’s goal is to defend the United States’ lead in the development of AI technology.

An indictment released Wednesday in the Northern District of California alleges that Ding, employed by Google in 2019 and had access to sensitive information regarding the company’s supercomputing data centres, began downloading hundreds of files into a personal Google Cloud account two years ago.

According to prosecutors, just weeks after the theft began, Ding was offered the post of chief technology officer at an early-stage technology business in China that advertised its use of AI technology and gave him a monthly salary of around $14,800, plus an annual bonus and company stock. According to the indictment, Ding travelled to China to attend investor meetings and seek funding for the company.

According to the indictment, he also built and served as CEO of a China-based startup company that aimed to train “large AI models powered by supercomputing chips.”

Ex- Google Engineer Charged With Stealing AI Trade Secrets While Working With Chinese Companies

Prosecutors claim Ding did not reveal his affiliation with Google, which identified him as a junior employee Wednesday.

He resigned from Google on December 26. Three days later, Google authorities discovered that he had spoken as the CEO of one of the Chinese firms at an investment conference in Beijing. Officials also analyzed security footage that showed another employee scanning Ding’s access badge at the building where he worked to make it appear as if Ding was present when he was actually in China, according to the indictment.

Google suspended Ding’s network access and locked his laptop. In January, the FBI served a search warrant at Ding’s house, seizing his electronic equipment. Then, the FBI executed another request for his personal accounts, which contained more than 500 distinct files of secret information that investigators claim he took from Google.

It was unclear if Ding, 38, had a counsel who could testify on his behalf.

SOURCE – (AP)