Apple Says OpenAI May Be Destroying Evidence in Trade Secrets Suit

Apple and OpenAI are now fighting over more than just AI gadgets — they're fighting over evidence. In a court filing, Apple says OpenAI waited too long to hand over a MacBook that belonged to a former Apple employee who now works there. The laptop allegedly contains messages about "destroying the types of forensic data Apple needs." Apple is asking the court for "expedited discovery," meaning it wants to rush the evidence-gathering process before important digital clues disappear.

The laptop belongs to Chang Liu, one of three ex-Apple employees Apple sued in July. Apple claims Liu copied a confidential circuit schematic and kept using Apple's private cloud storage while working at OpenAI. When lawyers finally got the MacBook on August 21st, they found messages where Liu reportedly talked about "restoring" Apple-owned devices after learning Apple was investigating him. Apple argues this shows a "very real risk of evidence destruction" — because logs, metadata, and usage records can easily be overwritten or lost.

OpenAI isn't backing down. In its own filing, the company calls the lawsuit "a mess of Apple's own making," saying Apple's messy exit process is to blame. OpenAI insists there is no evidence Liu accessed Apple information improperly or had any use for it. The outcome of this case could affect how companies protect secrets while employees switch jobs in the fiercely competitive AI industry — and ultimately, how quickly and safely new AI-powered devices reach your hands.