Former Google engineer charged with stealing AI trade secrets

A Chinese national is facing multiple charges of economic espionage and theft of trade secrets after he was accused of stealing artificial intelligence technology from Google.

Leon Ding, 38, was indicted on accusations of using his position as an engineer at Google to steal code and configuration details for parent company Alphabet’s AI projects and then using the pilfered data as the basis for a startup company in China.

If sent to the U.S., he would face seven counts each of economic espionage and theft of trade secrets. Ding could face a maximum of 15 years in prison, if convicted. This, of course, would be contingent on Ding either returning to the U.S. or being arrested and extradited.

“Ding allegedly stole technology relating to the hardware infrastructure and software platform that allows Google’s supercomputing data center to train and serve large AI models,” the Justice Department said in announcing the indictment. 

“The trade secrets contain detailed information about the architecture and functionality of Google’s Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) chips and systems and Google’s Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) systems.”

The case goes back to May 2022, when Ding was working for Google as a software engineer. Ding is alleged to have copied and uploaded more than 1,000 files to a personal account between May 2022 and May 2023.

Authorities believe that the files, all related to AI software and the underlying hardware configurations used to support AI installations, were taken with the intention forming the basis of a new company in China.

U.S. authorities say that once armed with the confidential code and configuration details from Google, Ding absconded to mainland China, where he got backing from the Chinese Communist Party to start a company with himself listed as founder and CEO.

“Ding circulated a PowerPoint presentation to employees of his technology company citing PRC national policies encouraging the development of the domestic AI industry,” the Justice Department said. 

“He also created a PowerPoint presentation containing an application to a PRC talent program based in Shanghai.”

Authorities say the incident is indicative of a larger problem with intellectual property theft in China. The DOJ says that the Chinese government incentivizes individuals to use their access to international organizations to copy confidential data and trade secrets. Those who do pilfer valuable data are then said to be offered high-paying positions and access to laboratory space and other valuable corporate resources within China.