Apple's Filing Shows Ex-Engineer Trained an AI Agent on a Stolen Schematic
News Summary
Apple has escalated its trade secret lawsuit against OpenAI with a new evidence filing it describes as "shocking," centering on a former Apple engineer who allegedly used a confidential circuit schematic and an internal-style engineering tool in his work at OpenAI, then coordinated with a colleague to destroy evidence once he learned Apple was investigating. The filing, submitted in a California federal court in late August 2026 (Pacific Time), adds forensic detail to a case that began in July 2026 and has grown to touch on a broader pattern of Apple hardware know-how migrating to OpenAI's device efforts.
Who Is Involved
The engineer at the center of the new filing is Chang Liu, a former senior system electrical engineer who spent about eight years at Apple before joining OpenAI. Liu is one of several former Apple employees named in the litigation, alongside Tang Tan, a former Apple vice president of product design who led design work on iPhone and Apple Watch and who now holds a senior hardware role at OpenAI. The defendants in the case are OpenAI, its hardware venture io Products, and the individual former employees.
Apple's complaint states that more than 400 former Apple employees currently work at OpenAI, a figure the company has cited to argue that the alleged conduct is not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern worth scrutinizing as OpenAI builds out its hardware ambitions.
The New Forensic Evidence
According to Apple's latest filing, the fresh evidence emerged after Liu's legal counsel turned over his old Apple-issued work laptop for forensic examination earlier in August 2026. Apple says the analysis showed Liu used a confidential Apple circuit schematic in electrical engineering simulation work at OpenAI, and that he relied on a tool sharing its name with an internal Apple engineering application.
Apple further alleges that Liu trained an AI agent to automate simulation work using the LTspice circuit-simulation software, referencing the disputed schematic in the process. In internal messages cited in the filing, Liu reportedly described the results, saying his "AI agent learned how to run LTspice, look at result, tune compensation parameter," and that the automation cut a task that used to take a full day down to about two hours.
Apple also alleges that when Liu learned in June 2026 that Apple had opened an investigation into his conduct, he asked an OpenAI colleague, identified in filings as Yu-Ting Peng, to help destroy evidence, and that she indicated she would comply. Apple's court papers state that OpenAI was "well aware" of Liu's access to Apple data during his time at the company.
How the Case Has Evolved
Apple originally sued OpenAI and the named former employees in July 2026, accusing them of a scheme it characterized as reaching "every level" of the companies involved. The initial complaint described Tang Tan as having referenced confidential Apple project codenames in job interviews and having directed current Apple employees to bring hardware components and prototypes to informal "show and tell" sessions. It also accused Liu of exploiting a rare software vulnerability to download more than 1,000 pages of confidential Apple engineering files after he had already left the company, and of later advising another Apple recruit on which of those materials to study.
In early August 2026, Apple told the court that additional former employees may have retained confidential files, including screenshots of documents describing an unannounced Apple product taken before interviews at OpenAI. Separately, reporting around the same period highlighted a related but distinct issue: some former employees retained passive access to Apple documents through personal iCloud accounts that had been linked to company-funded storage, a technical side effect of Apple's iCloud architecture rather than alleged intentional theft. Apple has said it draws a clear line between employees who unintentionally retained synced files in this way and individuals it accuses of actively taking and using trade secrets, such as Liu and Tan.
Apple's Legal Requests
As part of the case, Apple is seeking a preliminary injunction that would bar OpenAI from developing hardware products based on what it alleges is misappropriated Apple technology while the litigation proceeds. Apple has also asked the court for expedited discovery procedures, citing concerns that additional current or former employees may be implicated as the case develops. A hearing before U.S. District Judge Edward J. Davila was reported to be scheduled for October 1, 2026.
OpenAI's Response
OpenAI has pushed back on the allegations, calling them "meritless" and stating that it does not possess Apple's trade secrets. Regarding Liu specifically, OpenAI has characterized any file access as "residual access" resulting from gaps in how Apple managed departing employees' systems, rather than deliberate theft, and has said Liu only accessed certain files to assist former colleagues. OpenAI has filed a motion seeking dismissal of parts of Apple's case.
Apple's filings note that after the lawsuit became public, several former Apple employees now at OpenAI reached out about returning Apple-issued devices they had kept after leaving the company.
What Happens Next
With a hearing set for early October 2026, the case is expected to test how much latitude departing employees and their new employers have when it comes to institutional knowledge versus documented trade secrets. The outcome could also shape how hardware companies structure device access, offboarding procedures, and cloud storage policies for engineers moving between competitors in fast-moving AI and consumer hardware fields.