Apple files laptop evidence accusing OpenAI of stealing hardware trade secrets

Apple has submitted forensic evidence extracted from a former employee’s laptop to support its lawsuit against OpenAI. The filing accuses the artificial intelligence company of utilizing stolen circuit schematics and internal engineering tools to advance its own hardware development.

The evidence emerged after legal counsel for Chang Liu, a former Apple engineer now working at OpenAI, surrendered his old work computer. Apple describes the findings as “shocking evidence” that proves its intellectual property is being actively exploited.

According to the filing, Liu utilized a confidential Apple circuit schematic during his tenure at OpenAI. He also allegedly deployed a software tool that shares a name with a proprietary Apple engineering application.

Apple asserts that OpenAI was “well-aware” of Liu’s unauthorized access to its data. The lawsuit further claims that Liu recruited an OpenAI colleague, Yu-Ting Peng, to destroy evidence in June once he realized the investigation had begun.

Defending the scope of its investigation, Apple stated in the filing: “The MacBook represents the very limited information Defendants provided so far (and only after weeks of delay), and shows Apple is not conducting ‘fishing expeditions’ but that its trade secrets are being used and evidence is being destroyed.” The company argues this proves the necessity of its legal action.

OpenAI has previously pushed back against these accusations. The company argued that Liu only accessed Apple files after his departure to assist former colleagues who requested his help.

In a recent blog post, OpenAI wrote: “Apple now tries to shift the blame to ‘residual access,’ but they also don’t disclose that this is a common issue with Apple which is caused by them failing to properly manage system access when people leave.” The AI firm maintains that the access was an administrative oversight rather than deliberate theft.

Apple rejects this explanation entirely. The company claims Liu maintained his system access by exploiting a “rare, previously unknown authentication bug” rather than suffering from a routine administrative failure.

Previous filings suggest Liu was conscious of his unauthorized access. Past evidence included text messages from Liu, punctuated with “crying laughing” emojis, indicating he knew he could still view Apple files.

The legal dispute carries significant implications for the broader technology market. Apple is seeking a preliminary injunction to block OpenAI from developing hardware based on its technology, alongside expedited discovery to uncover further potential breaches.

This case also highlights the intense competition for specialized engineering talent in the artificial intelligence sector. According to Apple’s initial filing, more than 400 former Apple employees currently work at OpenAI, raising concerns about systemic intellectual property risks.