Apple Inc. has filed a lawsuit against former iPhone engineer Chang Liu, alleging that he retained access to the company's internal systems after joining OpenAI's hardware division and improperly obtained confidential information. The legal complaint claims Liu left Apple with more than his professional experience, accusing him of keeping a company-issued MacBook, maintaining contact with an Apple employee who allegedly shared internal information and exploiting a software vulnerability that continued to provide access to Apple's internal file servers.

According to the lawsuit, Liu discovered that he could still access Apple's network storage after leaving the company. Apple cited a message allegedly sent by Liu to former colleague Alyssa Peng in which he wrote, "LOL, I found out I can access the [network storage], so funny." The company claims Liu subsequently used that access while employed at OpenAI to download presentations, hardware designs, manufacturing information and testing procedures containing confidential and proprietary material.

The lawsuit alleges that Liu's continued access to Apple's internal systems was made possible by a software bug that had not been immediately detected. Apple contends that the engineer used this vulnerability to retrieve sensitive documents after his employment had ended, raising concerns over the protection of trade secrets and intellectual property. The company is seeking legal remedies through the courts, arguing that the alleged actions violated its confidentiality and security policies.

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The case also shines a spotlight on OpenAI's growing hardware ambitions. Liu joined the company's emerging hardware division, which has attracted several former Apple employees. Bloomberg reported that the division is linked to io Products, the artificial intelligence hardware startup co-founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive and executive Tang Tan, which OpenAI acquired last year in a deal valued at approximately $6.5 billion.

According to the report, the dispute also highlights internal tensions involving Tang Tan and his relationship with John Ternus, Apple's former hardware chief and incoming chief executive officer. While those issues are referenced in the broader legal context, the central focus of Apple's complaint remains the alleged unauthorised access to confidential company information after Liu's departure.

The allegations outlined in the lawsuit have not yet been proven in court, and the legal proceedings are expected to determine the facts after both parties present their arguments. The case is being closely watched across the technology industry, as it raises broader questions about employee mobility, protection of trade secrets, cybersecurity and the safeguarding of proprietary information amid intensifying competition in artificial intelligence and hardware development.

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