Story
Apple Alleges Ex-Engineer Accessed Circuit Plans While at OpenAI, Escalating Trade Secret Lawsuit
Apple Inc. (AAPL) has presented new evidence in its ongoing trade secret case against OpenAI, alleging a former senior engineer accessed sensitive internal documents after he had already begun working for the AI developer, according to a U.S. federal court filing on Monday.
Details of the Allegation
In the filing, Apple claims that Chang Liu, a former senior system electrical engineer, accessed a power converter circuit schematic in March 2026 while employed by OpenAI. The tech giant also alleges that Liu used proprietary Apple information to train an artificial intelligence agent.
Apple stated this new evidence was discovered on a MacBook computer that OpenAI provided to the company on August 21 as part of the legal discovery process. Citing these findings, Apple is now asking the court to expedite discovery proceedings in the case.
AdBroader Legal Context
This development adds a new layer to the legal battle between two of the world's most influential technology firms. The case underscores the intense competition for talent and the critical importance of protecting intellectual property in the rapidly advancing field of artificial intelligence.
OpenAI has previously sought to have Apple's lawsuit dismissed, arguing that it is developing "entirely new" products that do not rely on competitors' trade secrets. According to the report, OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the latest allegations. The outcome of the case could have significant implications for how companies protect proprietary research and development when employees move between rival firms.
Read next
More on Stocks
FTC Orders Walmart, Uber, Delta to Disclose Data on Personalized Pricing
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is demanding nine major companies, including leading retail, travel, and gig economy firms, to provide information on how they use consumer data for setting individual prices and wages.
Google Launches Gemini 4 Carbon AI Model to Bolster Cybersecurity Capabilities
Alphabet's Google has unveiled Gemini 4 Carbon, its latest AI model specifically designed for advanced cybersecurity tasks like vulnerability detection and secure code generation. The launch escalates competition with rivals OpenAI and Anthropic in the enterprise AI market.
Oracle Shares Surge After Unveiling $225 Billion Revenue Target for 2030
Oracle stock rose sharply after the company presented a long-term financial outlook targeting at least $225 billion in annual revenue by fiscal 2030, driven by its expanding AI infrastructure business.
DOJ Scrutinizes Nvidia's $12.9B Hugging Face Deal Amid Broader Antitrust Probe, Sources Say
The U.S. Department of Justice is reportedly examining Nvidia's planned $12.93 billion acquisition of AI platform Hugging Face as part of a wider, ongoing antitrust investigation into the chipmaker's market conduct.