Apple Drops Bombshell: 'Shocking Evidence' Against Ex-Employee in OpenAI Data Theft

Apple has significantly escalated its legal battle against OpenAI, filing what it describes as “shocking evidence” to substantiate its claims that former employees illicitly appropriated trade secrets for OpenAI’s benefit. These new, compelling details emerged subsequent to legal counsel for former Apple employee Chang Liu, now an OpenAI staff member, submitting Liu’s previous Apple work laptop for investigation earlier in the current month.

The tech giant now explicitly alleges that Chang Liu utilized a confidential Apple circuit schematic in his work at OpenAI. Furthermore, Apple claims Liu employed a tool that shares its name with an internal Apple engineering application, suggesting a direct link to proprietary information. Critically, Apple contends that OpenAI was “well-aware” of Liu’s continued access to Apple’s sensitive data. Adding another layer to its allegations, Apple asserts that Liu enlisted the assistance of his OpenAI colleague, Yu-Ting Peng, to destroy crucial evidence in June, upon learning that Apple had initiated an investigation into his activities.

A recent legal filing by Apple underscores the gravity of the situation, stating, “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.” While the most recent evidence presented in court remains redacted from public view, earlier filings from Apple had already included revealing text messages from Liu. These messages, punctuated with “crying laughing” emojis, indicated his awareness of still possessing access to Apple files, a detail Apple has used to demonstrate Liu’s intent.

OpenAI, for its part, has previously defended Liu, asserting that his access to Apple files after his departure was merely to assist former colleagues who had sought his help. OpenAI attempted to shift accountability, stating in a recent blog post, “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.” However, Apple refutes this explanation, countering that Liu maintained access because he “exploited a rare, previously unknown authentication bug,” thereby gaining unauthorized entry to their systems.

In light of these developments, Apple is actively pursuing a preliminary injunction. This court order, if granted, would prevent OpenAI from developing hardware based on Apple’s proprietary technology while the ongoing case proceeds. Additionally, Apple is seeking expedited discovery, a fast-tracked process for gathering evidence, citing concerns that potentially more former employees may be implicated in similar acts. The initial filing from Apple revealed a significant connection between the two companies, noting that over 400 former Apple employees are currently employed at OpenAI, amplifying the scope and potential implications of this high-stakes legal dispute.