Now loading...
Apple has initiated legal proceedings against OpenAI, alleging theft of trade secrets and breach of contract, as outlined in a lawsuit filed on Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The tech giant claims that such actions reflect a pattern of misconduct by OpenAI employees, particularly targeting the company’s senior leadership, including Chief Hardware Officer Tang Tan.
The lawsuit accuses Tan of using confidential project codes from Apple during the recruitment process at OpenAI, soliciting job candidates to bring Apple hardware to interviews, and providing coaching to departing Apple staff on how to navigate the company’s security protocols. Additionally, Tan is alleged to have sought information regarding Apple’s undisclosed products.
Before his role at OpenAI, Tan had a long tenure at Apple, spending 24 years in various positions, including Vice President of Product Design for the iPhone and Apple Watch.
This legal action occurs amid speculation that OpenAI is working on its inaugural hardware product, potentially a smartphone that integrates AI agents in place of traditional applications. Industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously suggested this device might pose a significant challenge to Apple’s flagship smartphones.
OpenAI’s recent acquisition of Jony Ive’s design startup, io, for $6.5 billion last year was also noted in the filing, although Ive himself is not named in the lawsuit.
Apple’s complaint identifies another OpenAI employee, Chang Liu, who allegedly neglected to return an Apple-issued laptop after his transition to OpenAI in 2026. It is claimed that Liu used the device to download sensitive Apple documentation, which included technical specifications and proprietary information about unreleased technologies and features.
Additionally, Liu is accused of sharing confidential details with colleagues at Apple who were seeking employment with OpenAI, advising them on interview preparation.
In its complaint, Apple states that it reached out to OpenAI in February to express its concerns but received no response. The document further asserts that the former employees’ actions are part of a strategy by OpenAI to extract sensitive information, including requests for Apple designs and product specifications during job interviews.
Apple’s investigation suggests that OpenAI may have exploited its confidential data while developing its own hardware, pointing to an instance involving a specialized metal finishing process that OpenAI supposedly misrepresented to a partner as having Apple’s approval.
Typically, Apple investigates potential trade secret theft by examining communications on company-owned devices and reviewing server logs. By bringing the case to court, Apple aims to uncover the full scope of the alleged activities through the legal discovery process.
In the lawsuit, Apple seeks an injunction to prevent OpenAI from using its trade secrets, demands the return of any confidential materials, and requests that evidence related to the case be preserved.
In a statement, Apple emphasized its commitment to protecting its intellectual property and noted that recent evidence indicates OpenAI employees improperly acquired sensitive information regarding its unreleased products and technologies. The company stated, “We will always defend our teams’ hard work and innovations.”
OpenAI was reached for comments regarding the lawsuit; in its response, it reiterated its commitment to innovation over interest in other companies’ trade secrets.
The full text of the lawsuit is available here.
