The Justice Department announced on Wednesday that a former Google software engineer is facing charges for illegally obtaining trade secrets related to artificial intelligence from the company. The engineer was allegedly collaborating with two Chinese companies while working at Google.

Linwei Ding, a Chinese national, was arrested in Newark, California, on four counts of federal trade secret theft, each punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Ding, 38, was charged at a conference held by the American Bar Association in San Francisco, as stated by Attorney General Merrick Garland. He, along with other law enforcement officials, has continuously raised concerns regarding the danger of Chinese economic espionage and the potential national security risks linked to the advancements of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.

In a statement, FBI Director Christopher Wray stated that the current charges demonstrate the extent to which affiliates of Chinese companies are willing to go in order to steal American advancements. He highlighted that the stealing of trade secrets and innovative technology from American businesses can result in job losses and serious economic and national security repercussions.

According to Google, the employee was found to have taken “several documents” and the situation was reported to the authorities.

According to Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda, measures are in place to prevent the theft of confidential trade secrets and commercial information. Following an investigation, it was discovered that an employee had taken multiple documents without permission. The case has been reported to law enforcement and Google is appreciative of the assistance provided by the FBI in safeguarding their information. They will continue to work closely with them in this matter.

Ding’s defense attorney, identified as a lawyer, did not make a statement on Wednesday evening.

The use of artificial intelligence is the primary arena for companies competing in the high tech industry, and the issue of who has control can greatly impact commercial and security matters. The Department of Justice has recently been warning about the potential for foreign enemies to exploit AI technology in ways that could harm the United States.

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in a speech last month that the administration’s multi-agency Disruptive Technology Strike Force would place AI at the top of its enforcement priority list, and Wray told a conference last week that AI and other emerging technologies had made it easier for adversaries to try to interfere with the American political process.

At the San Francisco gathering, Garland expressed similar worries by stating on Wednesday that “Just like with any advancing technology, (AI) has its positives and negatives, strengths and weaknesses, and holds both potential and danger.”

On Wednesday, a court document in the Northern District of California revealed that Ding, who started working for Google in 2019 and was privileged to sensitive details about the company’s supercomputing data centers, initiated the act of transferring numerous files to a personal Google Cloud account about two years ago.

Less than a month after the theft began, according to prosecutors, Ding was presented with the opportunity to become the chief technology officer at a startup tech company in China. The company promoted its utilization of AI technology and offered Ding a monthly pay of approximately $14,800, an annual bonus, and company stocks. According to the charges, Ding went to China and attended meetings with investors to secure funding for the company.

According to the indictment, he also established and held the position of CEO at a startup company in China. The company’s goal was to train advanced artificial intelligence models using powerful supercomputing chips.

According to prosecutors, Ding did not reveal his affiliations with either Google or his status as a junior employee when described by the company on Wednesday.

He stepped down from his position at Google on December 26th.

According to the indictment, Google representatives discovered that the individual in question had posed as the CEO of a Chinese company during an investor conference in Beijing within three days. After reviewing surveillance recordings, it was revealed that another employee had used Ding’s access badge at the Google office in the U.S. to make it appear as though he was present during certain times when he was actually in China.

Google temporarily suspended Ding’s access to the network and locked his laptop. During a search of his network activity history, his unauthorized uploads were discovered.

In January, the FBI obtained a search warrant to enter Ding’s residence and confiscated his electronic devices. They then issued another warrant specifically for his personal accounts, which contained over 500 confidential files that authorities believe were stolen from Google.

Source: wral.com