Apple Sues OpenAI Over Engineer Who Allegedly Stole MacBook and Leaked Internal Secrets After Jumping Ship

Jul 13, 2026
Bloomberg.com
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Summary

Apple is suing OpenAI after former iPhone engineer Chang Liu allegedly defected to OpenAI's hardware division, stealing a company MacBook, exploiting a software bug to access Apple's internal servers, and using a current Apple employee to continue leaking proprietary secrets.

Key Points

  • Apple is suing OpenAI after iPhone engineer Chang Liu allegedly left the company to join OpenAI's hardware division while taking a company-issued MacBook that was never returned.
  • Liu is accused of maintaining access to Apple's internal file servers through a software bug, and of having a relationship with a current Apple employee who continued leaking internal information after his departure.
  • The legal battle highlights growing tensions between major tech companies over AI talent poaching and the protection of proprietary information as competition in the AI hardware space intensifies.

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