India, July 17 -- Apple's legal team has dispatched preservation letters to approximately 40 former employees currently employed at OpenAI, instructing them to retain documents and communications related to their tenure at Apple and their subsequent departure, according to a new report.

This action, as per the Financial Times, comes roughly a week after Apple initiated its trade-secret lawsuit against OpenAI, io Products, and two identified former Apple engineers, Chang Liu and Tang Tan, for stealing secret hardware plans.

Apple's complaint reveals that more than 400 people who previously worked for Apple are now part of OpenAI. The 40 letters are addressed to individuals who are not named as defendants.

As a result, this places each o...