Apple requests expedited discovery in trade secret suit against OpenAI over evidence destruction claims

Apple filed a motion in the US District Court for the Northern District of California on Monday, alleging that OpenAI and former employee Chang Liu destroyed evidence during a trade secret dispute. The company asserts that forensic reviews of Liu's issued MacBook revealed he downloaded a confidential Apple circuit schematic after leaving his job. The filing further claims Liu instructed an OpenAI colleague to destroy records, with the colleague reportedly agreeing to comply. Apple is suing OpenAI, io Products, Liu, and Tang Yew Tan for misappropriation of confidential hardware information. In response, OpenAI denied wrongdoing on Monday, calling the conflict 'a mess of Apple's own making' while arguing no protectable trade secrets were improperly taken. The company remains in denial of any misconduct. Apple's brief argues that providing the laptop took weeks and that its contents justify faster access to documents than the standard pretrial schedule allows. OpenAI is currently seeking dismissal of the case. Both parties maintain their respective positions while legal proceedings continue.