OpenAI Blames Apple for iPhone Maker’s Trade Secret Lawsuit

The legal battle continued this week, with Apple now alleging that an OpenAI employee has destroyed evidence in the case, and OpenAI saying Apple has no one to blame for the suit but itself.

In a motion for expedited discovery filed in federal court Monday (Aug. 31) and obtained by PYMNTS, Apple discussed its initial forensic analysis of a MacBook used by Chang Liu, a member of OpenAI’s technical staff and former Apple employee, after he left the company.

The analysis showed that Liu downloaded a “confidential Apple circuit schematic” and used it for his work at OpenAI, the filing said. After learning that Apple had opened an internal investigation into him, Liu “sent instructions for destroying evidence to an OpenAI colleague who confirmed she would comply.”

“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,” the filing said.

For its part, OpenAI is accusing Apple of filing a meritless lawsuit to hinder OpenAI’s ability to recruit talent and develop competing technology, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday (Sept. 1).