Apple has filed new evidence in its trade secrets lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging forensic data recovered from a former engineer’s laptop shows he downloaded confidential Apple files, including a circuit schematic, and used them in his work for the AI company’s hardware division.
What Apple’s New Filing Alleges
The filing, submitted as part of Apple’s push for expedited discovery, centers on former Apple senior system electrical engineer Chang Liu. According to Apple’s forensic investigation of a MacBook Liu used after leaving the company, he knew he had access to Apple’s third-party cloud storage and used it to download “dozens of confidential Apple files,” including a circuit schematic.
Apple further alleges Liu used that schematic to run simulations as part of his work for OpenAI, and that the laptop revealed previously unknown instances of alleged trade secret use, claiming Liu “referred to using a tool and related software packages with names identical to proprietary internal engineering tools used at Apple.”
Apple also alleges that after Liu learned he was the subject of Apple’s internal investigation, he directed a coworker at OpenAI to “restore” Apple-issued devices, a move Apple characterizes as an attempt to erase forensic evidence.
How the Case Has Escalated
This is the latest development in a lawsuit Apple originally filed earlier this year, in which it accused OpenAI’s hardware business of being “rotten to its core” due to alleged trade secret theft. Apple expanded the scope of its claims earlier this month, alleging that as many as 11 former employees may have shared trade secrets with OpenAI. OpenAI has previously responded that Apple’s allegations are “careless, aggressive and oddly personal,” and has denied any wrongdoing.
Why It Matters
The case centers on OpenAI’s push into consumer hardware, an area where Apple has dominated for nearly two decades. If Apple’s allegations are substantiated in court, the case could shape how aggressively AI companies are able to recruit engineering talent from established hardware makers, and what legal exposure comes with it. For OpenAI, the timing is notable: the company is currently navigating significant internal leadership turnover as it prepares for a planned public listing, and a high-profile trade secrets case adds another point of scrutiny during that process.
What Happens Next
Apple’s filing is aimed at securing expedited discovery, meaning the case is still in its evidentiary stages rather than headed for an imminent trial. OpenAI has not yet issued a detailed public response to these specific new allegations.
For continuing coverage of Big Tech litigation and the legal battles shaping the AI industry, keep following Tech News Reports for ongoing updates.
