Ex-Google engineer charged with financial espionage for stealing secrets and techniques to spice up Chinese language AI fashions – Firstpost

Ex-Google engineer charged with financial espionage for stealing secrets and techniques to spice up Chinese language AI fashions – Firstpost

In accordance with US authorities, Linwei Ding joined Google in 2019 and was concerned in covertly stealing data associated to Alphabet’s AI tasks and chip know-how. He reportedly based a startup in China in 2023 and utilized to a government-backed expertise programme in Shanghai

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A former Google engineer is going through critical accusations from the US Justice Division for allegedly stealing delicate know-how to bolster China’s synthetic intelligence capabilities. Linwei Ding, a Chinese language software program developer who labored for Google below the identify Leon Ding, has been charged with seven counts every of financial espionage and theft of commerce secrets and techniques.

The newest indictment, introduced on Tuesday, claims Ding took proprietary know-how associated to Google’s AI coaching chips, equivalent to these used for its Gemini mannequin. He was initially indicted in March and pleaded not responsible on the time. If convicted, Ding may withstand 15 years in jail for every espionage cost and a further 10 years per depend of commerce secret theft.

Allegations of secret dealings and hidden motives

In accordance with US authorities, Ding joined Google in 2019 and was allegedly concerned in covertly stealing data associated to Alphabet Inc.’s AI tasks and chip know-how. He reportedly based a startup in China in 2023 and utilized to a government-backed expertise programme in Shanghai. These initiatives, geared toward encouraging abroad consultants to return to China, present monetary incentives for transferring technical data.

The indictment accuses Ding of holding his startup a secret from Google. He’s additionally alleged to have requested a colleague to scan his workplace badge to create the phantasm he was working on-site whereas managing his personal firm. Ding resigned from Google on December 26, 2023, and allegedly booked a one-way flight to China quickly after. Prosecutors imagine his startup deliberate to supply AI infrastructure providers to Chinese language universities and state companies.

Rising tensions over tech espionage

Ding’s case has added gas to ongoing considerations about technological espionage between the US and China. Throughout his presidential marketing campaign, Donald Trump vowed to crack down on such actions, emphasising the safety of crucial applied sciences from overseas interference. The case towards Ding follows one other high-profile incident final week during which a former Federal Reserve adviser was charged with conspiring to leak delicate data to learn China.

The US authorities alleges that Ding’s actions had been supposed to assist China develop AI infrastructure at a stage corresponding to international requirements. His indictment outlines how his startup’s inside paperwork described this objective.

The authorized proceedings, filed below case quantity USA v. Ding, are being dealt with within the US District Court docket for the Northern District of California in San Francisco. If confirmed responsible, Ding may face vital jail time, underscoring the rising stress within the tech rivalry between the world’s two largest economies.

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