Apple Has Evidence Ex-Worker Stole Data for OpenAI
▼ Summary
– Apple has presented new evidence in its lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that former employee Chang Liu stole trade secrets and used them for OpenAI’s benefit.
– The evidence includes Liu’s work laptop, which allegedly contains confidential Apple circuit schematics and tools linked to internal engineering applications.
– Apple claims Liu exploited an authentication bug to retain access after leaving the company and enlisted a colleague to destroy evidence during the investigation.
– OpenAI defends Liu by attributing his file access to residual permissions common in Apple’s system management, while Apple argues this was a deliberate exploitation of a rare bug.
– Apple is seeking a preliminary injunction to block OpenAI from using the technology and expedited discovery, citing over 400 former Apple employees now working at OpenAI.
Apple has escalated its legal battle against OpenAI by presenting what it describes as shocking evidence of corporate espionage. The tech giant argues that former employee Chang Liu, who now works for the AI developer, stole proprietary trade secrets to aid his new employer. This development follows a critical turn in the litigation after Liu’s legal team surrendered his previous Apple work laptop for forensic analysis earlier this month.
The lawsuit now centers on specific allegations that Liu utilized a confidential Apple circuit schematic and an internal engineering tool at OpenAI. Furthermore, Apple asserts that OpenAI was fully aware of Liu’s access to these sensitive materials. The company claims that when Liu discovered Apple was investigating him in June, he collaborated with colleague Yu-Ting Peng to help destroy incriminating evidence. In its filing, Apple stated: “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.”
While the most recent documents have been redacted from public records, previous filings revealed text messages from Liu that suggested he knew he still retained access to Apple files. These messages were often accompanied by “crying laughing” emojis. OpenAI has attempted to mitigate the severity of these actions by arguing that Liu only accessed the data after leaving the company to assist former colleagues. In a blog post released earlier this month, the company wrote: “Apple now tries to shift the blame to ‘residual access,’ but they also don’t disclose that this is a common issue with Apple which is caused by them failing to properly manage system access when people leave.”
Apple rejects this characterization, asserting that Liu did not benefit from standard residual access protocols. Instead, the company claims Liu exploited a rare, previously unknown authentication bug to maintain entry into its systems. TechCrunch has reached out to OpenAI for comment regarding these latest accusations.
Seeking immediate relief, Apple is requesting a preliminary injunction to prevent OpenAI from developing hardware based on the alleged stolen technology while the case proceeds. The company is also pushing for expedited discovery, citing concerns that other former employees may be involved. According to Apple’s initial complaint, the scale of potential insider influence is significant, with more than 400 former Apple employees currently working at OpenAI.
(Source: TechCrunch)
