Apple says it has found shocking evidence that a former employee stole company data to benefit OpenAI. The tech giant discovered four pieces of evidence after conducting a forensic analysis of Chang Liu's old corporate MacBook, which was turned over to the court by his legal team.
According to Apple's claims, Liu also allegedly asked an OpenAI colleague for help destroying evidence after learning he was under investigation. The alleged data theft raises questions about the handling of sensitive corporate information between two of the tech industry's most prominent players.
OpenAI hit back, characterizing the case as "a mess of Apple's own making." The AI company argues the real issue stems from Apple's practice of allowing employees to use personal iCloud accounts to access corporate documents without proper protocols. OpenAI contends that Apple failed to give employees enough time to transfer access to other team members when they leave the company, creating security gaps.
The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between Apple and OpenAI regarding data security practices and employee access controls. The case underscores how corporate policies around remote access and account management can become flashpoints in high-stakes legal disputes.