Apple Accuses OpenAI of Trade Secret Theft as New Evidence Fuels Legal Clash

Apple has submitted fresh forensic evidence alleging that former Apple engineers Chang Liu and Tang Tan stole confidential hardware designs and uploaded them to OpenAI. The company is urging a court to grant expedited discovery, claiming OpenAI may be destroying evidence. OpenAI responded by denying any theft and calling the dispute a mess of Apple's own making. The lawsuit highlights escalating tensions as both firms battle over talent and proprietary technology.

Apple intensified its legal battle with OpenAI on September 1, presenting new forensic findings that it says prove former Apple engineers Chang Liu and Tang Tan exfiltrated a confidential circuit schematic and other hardware design data after joining the AI startup. The evidence, derived from Liu's Apple-issued MacBook, is intended to persuade a San Jose federal judge to allow expedited discovery and to flag alleged evidence destruction by OpenAI .

OpenAI swiftly rebutted the accusations, filing a court response that the company has not been shown to possess any stolen Apple information and characterising the dispute as "a mess of Apple's own making." The filing also noted that OpenAI has hired roughly 400 former Apple employees for its hardware projects, suggesting the lawsuit aims to deter further departures and slow a rival .

Apple's filing underscores its concern that delays could enable further loss of proprietary data, especially given the alleged involvement of high-value hardware design and supply-chain plans. The company argues that each postponement exacerbates the harm caused by the alleged theft and potential evidence tampering.

The legal showdown reflects broader industry pressures as AI firms poach talent from established tech giants, raising questions about the protection of trade secrets and the enforceability of non-compete agreements. Observers will watch for a judge's ruling on the request for expedited discovery and any subsequent sanctions, which could set precedents for future talent-migration disputes in the AI sector.