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Ex-Google Engineer Charged For Stealing AI Secrets To Aid Chinese Firm

IBC

Washington

The arrest of a former Google Artificial Intelligence (AI) engineer, a Chinese national named Leon Ding, for allegedly stealing information about Google's advanced technologies to establish his own company in China, was reported by sources, according to the US Justice Department.

Leon Ding, also known as Linwei Ding, was apprehended in Newark, California, and charged with four counts of trade secret theft. The Justice Department officials emphasized the significance of the case as a signal that the US government will remain vigilant against attempts to unlawfully transfer advanced US technologies to China amid a technological arms race between Washington and Beijing.

US Attorney General Merrick Garland stated, The Justice Department will not tolerate the theft of artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies that could jeopardize our national security. If convicted, Ding faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and up to USD 1 million in fines.

Ding, hired by Google in 2019 as a software engineer, worked on supercomputing data centers and software for machine learning and AI applications for clients. The indictment revealed that Ding began uploading confidential Google information to his personal Google Cloud account in May 2022, totaling over 500 files by May 2023, including chip architecture and software design specifications.

During his tenure at Google, Ding also assumed the role of Chief Technology Officer at Beijing Rongshu Lianzhi Technology, and founded Shanghai Zhisuan Technology without informing Google, the indictment disclosed. The FBI conducted a search of Ding's residence on January 6, seizing electronic devices and other evidence.

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