DOJ Brings Criminal Charges Over AI Trade Secrets

Summary
On March 5, 2024, a Chinese national residing in California was indicted for the alleged theft of AI-related trade secrets from Google. The defendant is accused of stealing proprietary information about chip architecture and software design, including over 500 files containing trade secrets and confidential information. The indictment includes four counts of Theft of Trade Secrets (18 U.S.C. § 1832), which could result in a penalty of 10 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine for each count.