Former Google engineer indicted for stealing AI secrets

Former Google engineer indicted for stealing AI secrets is profiled by BTW Media because public-source evidence links it to internet infrastructure, governance, operational dependencies, or market visibility.

• A former Google AI engineer, Ding Linwei, was arrested for allegedly stealing advanced technology information to set up his own company in China.
• He is accused of stealing detailed data on Google’s hardware and software crucial for training large AI models.
• If convicted, Ding faces up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $1 million.

The US Department of Justice announced Wednesday the arrest of a former Google AI engineer, Ding Linwei, accusing him of stealing advanced technology information from Google while setting up his own company in China.

Ding Linwei, a 38-year-old Chinese citizen, faces four charges of stealing trade secrets. He was arrested Wednesday morning at his home in Newark, California, after a federal grand jury in San Francisco indicted him.

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The stolen information includes software crucial for training large AI models

According to the indictment, Ding is accused of stealing detailed information on Google’s hardware infrastructure and software platforms crucial for training large AI models through machine learning at Google’s data centres. The stolen information includes specific details of chips and systems, as well as software driving the operation of “cutting-edge machine learning and AI technologies” on supercomputers.

Ding joined Google in 2019 and began the alleged theft three years later as he planned to become the chief technology officer of a Chinese tech startup. By May 2023, he had uploaded over 500 confidential files to his Google Cloud account.

If convicted, Ding faces up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $1 million.