According to the accusation, he sent an application to a Chinese organization seeking assistance in growing this firm, and in November 2023, he presented it at a meeting for investors in China.

The next month, Google saw that he was attempting to transfer additional data to his personal computer while in China. However, Mr. Ding explained to Google’s investigator that he was doing this in order to validate his employment with the company.

Before quitting on December 26, Mr. Ding is alleged to have purchased a one-way ticket from San Francisco to Beijing after he got back to the US and without telling Google about it.

After learning about his conduct at the conference, Google grew suspicious a few days later and suspended his access. They then looked through his activity history to find the unauthorized uploads.

A representative for Google, José Castañeda, stated that the business has “strict safeguards to prevent the theft of our confidential commercial information and trade secrets,” and that when it discovered any indication of purported misconduct, it promptly notified the authorities.

Linwei Ding was working clandestinely for businesses that were “seeking an edge in the AI technology race” in order to benefit himself, according to a statement released by US Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday.

“The Justice Department will not tolerate the theft of artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies that could put our national security at risk,” Mr. Garland stated.

According to FBI Director Christopher Wray, Mr. Ding’s purported activities “are the latest illustration of the lengths” Chinese businesses will go to in order “to steal American innovation.”.

In recent years, there has been a fierce trade war between the US and China as both countries try to outcompete each other.