Apple claims OpenAI defendant used company MacBook to steal hardware trade secrets

Apple isn’t just mad that a former engineer allegedly walked off with company secrets. It’s mad about the laptop he walked off with, too. The iPhone maker’s federal lawsuit against OpenAI, filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, centers on claims that a former Apple engineer named Chang Liu retained an Apple-issued MacBook after leaving the company in January 2026. That MacBook, according to Apple, contained a power-converter schematic now being used as evidence in the case. More importantly, Apple alleges Liu exploited an authentication vulnerability to access and download sensitive engineering documents and specifications for unreleased products while already on OpenAI’s payroll. The allegations in detail The suit names OpenAI, its hardware subsidiary io Products, OpenAI Chief Hardware Officer Tang Yew Tan, and Liu as defendants. Apple’s complaint alleges systematic trade secret misappropriation and breach of contract, painting a picture of what it describes as a deliberate campaign to pilfer confidential hardware designs and supplier information. Tan’s alleged conduct is a different flavor of problematic. Apple claims he engaged in inappropriate r...