Ex-Google Engineer Convicted of Stealing Confidential AI Technology
A former Google software engineer has been convicted of stealing confidential artificial intelligence technology secrets. Linwei Ding, also known as Leon Ding, was found guilty by a federal jury in San Francisco on multiple counts of economic espionage and theft of trade secrets. This landmark verdict is significant for its implications in the competitive landscape of technology.
Case Overview
Linwei Ding, 38, was convicted on seven counts of economic espionage and an equal number of counts for theft. The trial took place over 11 days and was presided over by U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria, in the Northern District of California.
Details of the Crime
The charges stemmed from Ding’s activities while employed at Google. He reportedly stole over 2,000 pages of sensitive information related to Google’s AI technology. This trade secret information was stored in his personal Google Cloud account.
- Ding discussed becoming Chief Technology Officer of a Chinese tech startup in June 2022.
- By early 2023, he began establishing his own AI-focused company in China.
- In his investor pitches, Ding claimed he could replicate Google’s AI supercomputer by leveraging its technology.
Evidence presented during the trial detailed how Ding accessed Google’s proprietary technology, including information on its supercomputing infrastructure and unique chip designs. This included advanced architectures intended for processing AI workloads efficiently.
Impact of the Conviction
U.S. officials expressed serious concerns regarding the breach of trust and national security implications tied to Ding’s actions. Assistant Attorney General for National Security, John A. Eisenberg, emphasized the risks posed to U.S. technological leadership.
FBI Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky highlighted the importance of this case against the backdrop of growing economic threats from China. The conviction stands out as the first of its kind related to economic espionage concerning AI technology.
Future Proceedings
Ding is set to return for a status conference on February 3, 2026. He faces potential sentences of up to 10 years in prison for each count of theft of trade secrets and up to 15 years for economic espionage. Sentencing will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant federal statutes.
Legal and Investigative Team
This case was prosecuted by a team from the Northern District of California, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys and specialists from the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the National Security Division. The FBI conducted a thorough investigation that significantly contributed to the successful prosecution of Linwei Ding.
The conviction sends a clear message about the seriousness of protecting American technological integrity and emphasizes the collaboration between government agencies and private corporations in safeguarding sensitive information.
