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Ex-Google engineer accused of pilfering AI confidential data, trading it to Chinese tech firms
Linwei Ding, an ex-software engineer at Google, is accused of illicitly taking more than 500 distinct confidential files from Google and trading them to a Chinese firm. While still employed with Google at one of their U.S. campuses, Ding assumed the role of a CTO in a tech firm based in China.
The Department of Justice disclosed on Wednesday that Linwei Ding, a past software engineer at Google, who also goes by the name Leon Ding, has been charged for supposedly pilfering artificial intelligence proprietary information from the corporation. Ding, who is a citizen of China, was seized in Newark, California, and stands accused of four instances of federal trade secret pilferage, each of which could result in a maximum jail term of 10 years.
During a conference held by the American Bar Association in San Francisco, Attorney General Merrick Garland declared the allegations, stressing the continuous worries about economic spying by China, and the potential threats to national security due to progress in artificial intelligence and other evolving technologies.
FBI Chief, Christopher Wray, highlighted the gravity of the current issue by saying, "The most recent charges reveal the extreme measures Chinese company affiliates are ready to take to pilfer American innovation." Wray stressed the harmful effects of this theft on jobs in America and its considerable repercussions on the country's economy and national security.
Google announced that it had discovered an employee stealing "multiple documents" and immediately reported the incident to the police.
Jose Castaneda, a representative from Google, stated that the company has strict protocols to avoid the unauthorized leakage of its classified business data and proprietary secrets. He further elaborated that after an inquiry, it was found that the employee had illegally accessed several documents, which led Google to immediately contact the police. Castaneda thanked the FBI for their help in protecting Google's data and reassured that the company will continue to cooperate with the police.
In the cut-throat world of advanced technology, artificial intelligence acts as a main battleground for competitors, having substantial impacts on both business prosperity and security.
The charges revealed on Wednesday in California's Northern District suggest that Linwei Ding, a Google employee since 2019 with access to confidential data about the company's high-powered computing centers, began the unauthorized movement of numerous files to a personal Google Cloud account two years ago.
Prosecutors revealed that not long after the initial theft, Linwei Ding was proposed the role of lead technology officer at an emerging tech firm in China. This firm emphasized its utilization of AI technology and lured Ding with an estimated monthly pay of around $14,800, in addition to a yearly bonus and shares in the company.
The charges detailed that Ding journeyed to China, participated in company investor discussions, and strived to obtain funds for its functioning. Besides, he founded and took on the role of CEO at another China-based startup, which concentrated on developing large AI models using supercomputing chips.
Interestingly, Ding failed to inform Google about his associations with these Chinese firms, a fact that came to light when it was discovered he was a low-ranking employee during the probe. Ding stepped down from his position at Google on December 26th.
Not long after he left, Google authorities found out that Ding had posed as the CEO of a Chinese firm at a financial meet-up in Beijing just three days afterwards. Additionally, CCTV recordings showed that another staff member had been using Ding’s entry pass at Google's American premises to make it seem like Ding was in the office, when in reality, he was in China.
After discovering these inconsistencies, Google immediately revoked Ding's network access, remotely secured his laptop, and started examining his past network activities. Later in January, the FBI conducted a raid at Ding's home, confiscating all his electronic devices. A separate warrant was issued to access Ding's personal accounts, which unveiled more than 500 distinct confidential files supposedly pilfered from Google.
(Incorporating information from various sources)
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