Former Google engineer convicted in major AI trade-secret theft case

Former Google engineer Linwei Ding has been convicted on trade-secret theft charges involving sensitive AI chip and infrastructure technology.
Prosecutors alleged that Ding took more than 2,000 pages of confidential Google material while working on a Chinese startup that sought to develop similar AI infrastructure.
A judge dismissed seven economic-espionage charges, while seven trade-secret theft counts remain, each carrying substantial potential prison exposure.
The case highlights the growing strategic importance of proprietary AI hardware and infrastructure as competition between the U.S. and China intensifies.