Apple alleges ex-employee stole data for OpenAI

Apple claims Liu utilized a confidential circuit schematic and a tool that shares a name with an internal Apple engineering application. The company asserts that OpenAI was aware of Liu's access to Apple data and that Liu enlisted OpenAI colleague Yu-Ting Peng to help destroy evidence in June when Apple began its investigation.

"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 filing states. Past filings included text messages from Liu indicating he was aware of his continued access to Apple files.

OpenAI has previously argued that Liu only accessed Apple files after his departure to assist former colleagues, attributing the issue to Apple's system access management. However, Apple counters that Liu maintained access by exploiting a "rare, previously unknown authentication bug."

Apple is seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent OpenAI from developing hardware based on Apple's technology during the ongoing case, along with expedited discovery. The company alleges that more than 400 former Apple employees now work at OpenAI.