“This conviction exposes a calculated breach of trust involving some of the most advanced AI technology in the world at a critical moment in AI development,” Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said in a statement. 

“Ding abused his privileged access to steal AI trade secrets while pursuing PRC government-aligned ventures. His duplicity put US technological leadership and competitiveness at risk. I commend the trial team and investigators whose exceptional work resulted in this conviction.”

Stealing Google’s trade secrets

According to evidence presented at trial, Ding secretly affiliated himself with two PRC-based technology companies while still working at Google. 

Around June 2022, he was in discussions to become chief technology officer for an early-stage technology company based in the PRC. By early 2023, he was in the process of founding his own PRC-based technology company focused on artificial intelligence and machine learning and was acting as the company’s CEO.

In multiple statements to potential investors, Ding claimed he could build an AI supercomputer by copying and modifying Google’s technology, according to the Justice Department. In December 2023, less than two weeks before he resigned from Google, he downloaded the stolen trade secrets to his personal computer.