The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has charged a former Google software engineer with economic espionage and trade secret theft for allegedly sharing confidential AI technology with Chinese enterprises.
Linwei (Leon) Ding, who has worked for Google since 2019, is suspected of copying over 1,000 confidential files to his personal cloud storage between May 2022 and May 2023. The stolen data purportedly includes vital secrets regarding Google’s custom-designed hardware, such as Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) and Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) systems, as well as software used in the company’s AI supercomputing infrastructure.
Authorities believe Ding had concealed ties to two Chinese technology companies while still employed at Google. By mid-2022, he was apparently in talks for a position as Chief Technology Officer at one company, and by May 2023, he had quietly formed his own AI-focused company in China, serving as CEO.
Further charges suggest that Ding used Google’s proprietary information to benefit Chinese AI development. According to the DOJ, he gave internal Google material to his company’s employees via PowerPoint slides, citing Chinese government objectives targeted at improving national AI capabilities.
Since his initial indictment in March 2024, US officials have held Ding while the FBI continues its investigation. If convicted on all charges, he could face a maximum sentence of 175 years in jail and fines totaling $36.75 million. However, the final punishment decision will be based on legal proceedings and US sentencing criteria.
This case highlights persistent tensions between the United States and China regarding intellectual property theft and technological competitiveness, notably in the field of artificial intelligence.
