{
  "id": 4725524,
  "title": "Filing: Apple claims a former iPhone engineer used a confidential Apple circuit schematic in his work at OpenAI, evidence is being destroyed, and more (Chance Miller/9to5Mac)",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/filing-apple-claims-a-former-iphone-engineer-used-a-confidential",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-08-31T21:45:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Techmeme",
    "slug": "techmeme",
    "url": "https://9to5mac.com/2026/08/31/apple-openai-forensic-macbook-evidence/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Apple has filed a new document in its ongoing lawsuit against OpenAI, pushing for expedited discovery. The filing reveals shocking evidence based on forensic inspection of a former Apple engineer's laptop, Chang Liu. Liu, a senior system electrical engineer, left Apple for OpenAI in January. Apple alleges the engineer used a confidential circuit schematic from Apple in his work at OpenAI. Liu's lawyers provided the MacBook he used after leaving Apple. A forensic analysis showed Liu ran a simulation in March using the circuit schematic in LTspice, an electrical engineering tool. Liu told his AI \"agent\" learned to run LTspice and review the results. Apple argues that using trade secret information in an AI agent creates irreversible uses of the trade secret. This evidence supports Apple's call for expedited discovery, as it demonstrates that the trade secrets are being used and evidence is being destroyed.",
  "summary": "Apple has filed a new document in its ongoing lawsuit against OpenAI as it continues to push for expedited discovery.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "9to5Mac",
        "title": "Apple reveals ‘shocking evidence’ from ex-employee’s MacBook in OpenAI suit",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/apple-reveals-shocking-evidence-from-ex-employees-macbook-in-openai",
        "published": "2026-08-31T20:20:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "AppleInsider",
        "title": "New evidence shows OpenAI's trade secret theft & destruction of evidence, says Apple",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/new-evidence-shows-openais-trade-secret-theft-destruction-of-evidence",
        "published": "2026-08-31T20:24:54.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Investing.com",
        "title": "Apple alleges OpenAI defendant accessed circuit schematic",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/apple-alleges-openai-defendant-accessed-circuit-schematic",
        "published": "2026-08-31T20:29:23.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Apple alleges OpenAI employee accessed circuit plans after joining startup",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/apple-alleges-openai-employee-accessed-circuit-plans-after-joining",
        "published": "2026-08-31T20:41:26.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "TechCrunch",
        "title": "Apple shares ‘shocking evidence’ against former employee accused of stealing company data for OpenAI",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/apple-shares-shocking-evidence-against-former-employee-accused-of",
        "published": "2026-09-01T00:13:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}