Apple argued that the initial forensic examination of Chang Liu’s MacBook had uncovered “shocking evidence” in the lawsuit it filed in July, alleging that former employees had used trade secrets for OpenAI’s benefit. Liu, who worked as a senior systems electrical engineer at Apple and joined OpenAI in January, is alleged to have accessed confidential files through a security vulnerability after leaving the company.
Apple alleged that Liu downloaded a confidential circuit diagram and used it in his work at OpenAI, that his access to cloud storage was known, and that he asked his colleague Yu-Ting Peng to delete evidence during the investigation. Liu was also alleged to have used a tool with the same name as an internal Apple application; however, it was noted that the similarity in names did not constitute evidence.
Apple argued that the schematic was used in March in LTspice with an artificial intelligence agent that was learning to examine the results. The company said the data was synchronized from a Mac mini to a MacBook through iCloud, while Apple is seeking access to the Mac mini. The company requested expedited discovery, employee and executive testimony, and a preliminary injunction. According to the initial filing, more than 400 former Apple employees work at OpenAI. OpenAI denied the allegations.
Why it matters
The lawsuit highlights questions about how technical information accessed by employees when changing companies should be protected and how it should be determined whether that information was used at the new employer. If Apple’s requests for additional discovery and testimony are granted, the scope of the proceedings could expand and may not remain limited to findings on a single device. This is significant for monitoring confidential data during employee moves between technology companies, preserving access records, and how employees act when faced with investigations. However, at the current stage, the findings in the case are presented as elements supporting Apple’s allegations; because OpenAI denied the accusations, it remains unclear how they will be assessed by the court. The lawsuit also raises the question of whether it can be proven that the alleged access actually amounted to the use of trade secrets.
Background
Apple is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: we have published 20 reports mentioning this name in the past 90 days; the most recent was dated September 1, 2026.