Apple Alleges Evidence Tampering in OpenAI Trade Secret Dispute
Apple has moved for expedited discovery in its trade secret litigation against OpenAI, citing urgent concerns over the intentional destruction of forensic data. The filing follows the delayed handover of a company-issued MacBook, which allegedly contains evidence that former Apple employees discussed wiping device logs to conceal unauthorized access to proprietary schematics.
The dispute centers on three former Apple employees who transitioned to OpenAI, most notably Chang Liu. Apple claims that despite possessing the laptop since July, OpenAI failed to secure it until August 21. A subsequent inspection revealed that Liu not only retained confidential circuit schematics after his departure but also integrated them into his work at the AI firm. Further analysis uncovered internal messages where Liu discussed restoring Apple-owned devices to evade detection following the initiation of an internal investigation in June.
Apple argues that these actions represent a calculated attempt to erase critical metadata, logs, and usage records essential to the legal process. The company maintains that the risk of losing transient forensic artifacts remains high, prompting the request for an accelerated discovery phase. While the core of the lawsuit involves allegations of intellectual property theft for a new AI hardware device, this latest filing shifts the focus toward the integrity of evidence and the alleged negligence of OpenAI in managing materials transferred by its new hires.
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