Chinese national charged with stealing Google AI secrets

A Chinese national was charged with stealing trade secrets on Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) technology while secretly working for two AI companies based in China, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday.

Linwei Ding was indicted on four counts of theft of trade secrets after he allegedly transferred more than 500 unique files containing confidential information from Google to his personal account.

“The Justice Department will not tolerate the theft of artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies that could put our national security at risk,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. 

“We will fiercely protect sensitive technologies developed in America from falling into the hands of those who should not have them,” he added.

Ding, who began working at Google as a software engineer in 2019, started secretly uploading files to his personal account in May 2022, according to the indictment. 

He was able to avoid immediate detection by copying data from the files into the Apple Notes app on his computer, converting the Notes into PDFs and uploading them to his personal account, the indictment alleges.

In June 2022, Ding received several emails from the CEO of an early-stage technology company based in China, suggesting that he had been offered the role of chief technology officer (CTO), according to the indictment.

He traveled to China and participated in investor meetings to raise capital for the company in late 2022 and early 2023.

By May 2023, Ding had also founded a startup based in China and was serving as its CEO, the indictment alleges. Google was not aware of Ding’s affiliation with either company, until after he resigned in late December.

After Ding’s resignation, the tech giant learned that he had presented as the CEO of the startup at an investor conference in Beijing in November and that he had been making unauthorized uploads of Google files, according to the indictment.

“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,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a statement.

“The theft of innovative technology and trade secrets from American companies can cost jobs and have devastating economic and national security consequences,” Wray continued. “The FBI will continue its efforts to vigorously pursue those responsible for stealing U.S. companies’ intellectual property and most closely guarded secrets.”    

Google spokesperson José Castañeda emphasized in a statement that the company has “strict safeguards to prevent the theft of our confidential commercial information and trade secrets.”

“After an investigation, we found that this employee stole numerous documents, and we quickly referred the case to law enforcement,” Castañeda said. “We are grateful to the FBI for helping protect our information and will continue cooperating with them closely.”

Updated at 12:13 p.m. ET