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Apple submitted further evidence in its trade-secret lawsuit against OpenAI and former Apple employees Chang Liu and Tang Tan, alleging that Liu retained access to Apple materials after joining OpenAI in January 2026. Apple said forensic analysis of an Apple-issued MacBook found Liu downloaded a confidential circuit schematic and used it in OpenAI-related power-conversion work; the company also alleges Liu accessed Apple third-party cloud storage without authorization and instructed an OpenAI colleague to destroy evidence after learning of Apple’s internal investigation. Apple is seeking expedited discovery, damages, and an injunction barring use of its proprietary material.
OpenAI denies possessing or wanting Apple’s trade secrets and has moved to dismiss the case. It argues that Apple’s use of personal iCloud accounts for work and rapid employee offboarding may have allowed former staff to retain document access without establishing intentional theft. U.S. District Judge Edward J. Davila is scheduled to hear arguments on October 1, 2026.
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Apple filed a trade-secrets lawsuit against OpenAI, former Apple employees Chang Liu and Tang Tan, and an OpenAI hardware unit. The suit alleges misappropriation of Apple hardware-design, manufacturing, and supply-chain information for consumer-device development.
Apple alleges that Liu downloaded a confidential Apple circuit schematic about two months after leaving Apple and used it in OpenAI-related power-conversion work, including an LTspice simulation. Apple further alleges he trained an AI agent to run LTspice, review results, and tune compensation parameters.
Former Apple engineer Chang Liu joined OpenAI. Apple later alleged that he retained an Apple-issued MacBook after his departure.
OpenAI denied wrongdoing, moved to dismiss the lawsuit, and argued that Apple had not shown intentional theft of confidential information. It attributed the dispute to Apple's personal-iCloud use and offboarding practices, while stating it neither possesses nor wants Apple's trade secrets.
Apple alleged that Liu instructed an OpenAI colleague to destroy evidence after learning of Apple's internal investigation, and that the colleague confirmed compliance. Apple also alleged that Liu and other OpenAI personnel knew of his unauthorized access to Apple cloud storage.
After recovering Liu's Apple-issued MacBook, Apple submitted additional forensic evidence alleging that he used confidential Apple information at OpenAI and attempted to conceal his conduct. Apple sought expedited discovery, including access to a Mac mini and other devices, as well as relief barring OpenAI from using Apple trade secrets.
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Apple filed a federal lawsuit in the Northern District of California accusing OpenAI, its hardware subsidiary **io Products**, and former Apple employees of systematically misappropriating trade secrets tied to unreleased hardware designs, manufacturing processes, and supplier relationships. The complaint names OpenAI hardware chief **Tang Yew Tan** and former Apple engineer **Chang Liu**, and alleges OpenAI recruiters asked Apple candidates to bring confidential prototypes, CAD files, design artifacts, and physical parts to interviews while using internal Apple project codenames to probe knowledge of unreleased products. Apple also alleges former employees retained company equipment, accessed internal systems after departure, downloaded confidential engineering and manufacturing files, and shared guidance on bypassing Apple security and offboarding controls. The suit further claims OpenAI used insider knowledge to approach Apple suppliers and sought unauthorized use of a proprietary metal-finishing technique, as Apple pursues damages, return of materials, preservation of evidence, and court orders blocking any further use of its trade secrets despite the companies' ongoing partnership around ChatGPT integration in Apple Intelligence.
Jul 16, 2026
A U.S. federal jury convicted former Google engineer **Linwei Ding** (aka **Leon Ding**) on **14 counts** spanning **economic espionage** and **theft of trade secrets** after prosecutors said he stole thousands of confidential Google documents tied to the company’s artificial intelligence technology for the benefit of a China-based startup. The U.S. Department of Justice framed the case as protection of U.S. intellectual property and national security, alleging the theft was intended to advantage the **People’s Republic of China (PRC)**. Reporting indicates Ding began exfiltrating internal materials as early as **May 2022**, including by copying content into the **Apple Notes** app, converting it to PDFs, and uploading it to a personal cloud account. The stolen information reportedly covered sensitive AI infrastructure and chip-related technology, including details associated with Google’s AI supercomputing environment (e.g., data center/cluster management components) and hardware/software used to run AI workloads (including **TPU/GPU systems** and related networking components). Ding was initially indicted in **March 2024**, with subsequent superseding indictments expanding the alleged timeframe and charges; the case is cited as *USA v. Ding*, N.D. Cal., No. `3:24-cr-00141`.
Jun 29, 2026
Apple left some former employees with continued access to confidential internal documents because shared files synced through personal iCloud accounts were not fully revoked during offboarding, according to reporting citing former staff. The exposed material reportedly included sensitive product launch planning documents, and in some cases updates to those files continued generating notifications on ex-employees’ personal devices after they left the company. The issue appears tied to Apple encouraging workers to use a combined personal Apple Account with work iCloud storage while not placing all internal files inside managed folders that are automatically cut off at departure. A separate publication from OpenAI included what it described as message transcripts showing a departing Apple employee discussing copying or transferring files from an Apple iCloud account, including by AirDrop and external storage, while preserving personal notes and shared work files around the time of resignation. The messages also showed the former employee continuing to discuss Apple internal engineering and product matters with a current employee after leaving, adding to concerns about insider risk, weak access revocation, and gaps between Apple’s security posture and its controls for protecting corporate data during employee exits.
Aug 4, 2026