Apple has presented what it describes as "shocking evidence" in its ongoing lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing former employee Chang Liu of stealing sensitive Apple data to benefit OpenAI. These details surfaced following the handover of Liu’s old Apple laptop to investigators. Apple alleges that Liu incorporated a confidential Apple circuit schematic in his OpenAI work and used a tool with the same name as an internal Apple engineering app. The company contends that OpenAI was fully aware of Liu’s access to proprietary Apple information and that Liu enlisted a colleague to help destroy evidence once he learned about the investigation in June.

The lawsuit further claims that Liu exploited a rare, previously unknown authentication bug to retain access to Apple systems even after joining OpenAI. Apple has requested a preliminary injunction to prevent OpenAI from developing hardware based on Apple’s technology during the legal proceedings, alongside expedited discovery processes to investigate involvement of potentially more than 400 former Apple employees now working at OpenAI. Apple also accuses Liu of deliberately deleting evidence on his laptop in response to the probe.

OpenAI has defended Liu, stating that he only accessed Apple files post-employment to assist former coworkers, and attributes the issue to flawed access management within Apple. However, Apple disputes this, highlighting Liu’s ongoing unauthorized access as a deliberate act rather than an administrative oversight. Prior court filings have revealed communications from Liu indicating awareness and cavalier usage of Apple files, further fueling Apple’s claims.

This development adds another intricate layer to the legal battle between two tech giants amid intensifying competition in AI development. Apple’s aggressive pursuit of legal remedies reflects concerns about protecting proprietary technology, while OpenAI challenges accusations related to employee conduct and data security. The case underscores mounting tensions around intellectual property and talent mobility in the rapidly evolving AI industry.