Bloomberg: Apple lawsuit against OpenAI reveals former employee's 'haha' was key to data leak

Apple's lawsuit against OpenAI has revealed new details surrounding a significant data leak, with a former Apple engineer, Chang Liu, accused of absconding with confidential company information. According to a Bloomberg report, Liu, who joined OpenAI's hardware division after leaving Apple, took a company-issued MacBook, maintained contact with an Apple employee, and exploited a software vulnerability to access internal Apple servers post-employment.

Liu reportedly shared his discovery of the security loophole with colleague Alyssa Peng in a message stating, "haha (LOL), I found I can still access the network storage, it's so funny." Peng's reply, "I'm ready," indicated her willingness to assist Liu in obtaining more sensitive data. This situation unfolds against a backdrop of deteriorating relations between Apple and OpenAI, former partners now vying for dominance in the AI hardware market.

The core of the dispute also involves Tang Tan, a prominent former Apple executive responsible for the design of key products like the iPhone and Apple Watch. Tan's departure to OpenAI as Chief Hardware Officer in late 2023 has drawn scrutiny. While Apple permitted Tan to continue working until February 2024 for handover purposes, he was allegedly meeting with former Apple design chief Jony Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to develop a new AI device potentially challenging the iPhone.

Apple asserts that OpenAI's nascent hardware business is built upon "illegally stolen trade secrets." The company has expressed concern over the substantial exodus of over 400 employees from Apple to OpenAI, particularly impacting senior roles in hardware and design. Apple stated it attempted to resolve the matter privately in February by notifying OpenAI of the secret information leak, but received no response.