Senate hears ex-CIA officer say Google engineer funneled cutting-edge AI trade secrets to China, fueling national-security alarm

A former CIA officer told a Senate panel that a Google software engineer stole advanced AI trade secrets to benefit China, underscoring what he called Beijing’s state-backed campaign to outpace U.S. firms. The case of Linwei “Leon” Ding—convicted of economic espionage and theft of trade secrets—featured prominently as lawmakers weighed risks from Chinese IP theft in critical technologies. Witnesses argued U.S. companies face an uneven contest against China’s intelligence apparatus and urged a more national-security–driven response, while the administration presses for a unified federal AI regulatory framework and faster data-center buildouts. The testimony highlights growing pressure on Washington to harden corporate defenses and tighten technology flows amid intensifying U.S.-China competition.

Read more