Apple sues OpenAI
Two former Apple employees are allegedly at the center of a systematic theft of information. OpenAI reportedly wanted to use this to develop its own hardware.
Apple is taking OpenAI to court. The AI company is accused of having stolen trade secrets on a large scale to build its own hardware business.
The lawsuit was filed on July 10, 2026, in the Federal Court for the Northern District of California. It targets OpenAI as well as two former Apple employees who now work there: Tang Tan, formerly a senior Apple designer and now OpenAI's head of hardware, and former electrical engineer Chang Liu.
The complaint describes a clear pattern. OpenAI recruiters specifically asked former Apple employees in job interviews about unreleased products, components, manufacturing processes, and supply chains. They even asked candidates to bring prototypes or components.
Insiders allegedly misused their knowledge
Apple views Tang Tan's behavior as particularly incriminating: "OpenAI instructs new employees on how to avoid close scrutiny when leaving the company. For example, Mr. Tan warns them not to tell Apple that they have accepted a position at OpenAI so that they can remain at Apple for as long as possible."
Chan Liu is accused of having accessed Apple's systems via a company laptop even after his departure. He allegedly downloaded confidential information, including "dozens of confidential hardware-related files from Apple, including extensive, detailed information about unreleased products, technical presentations, technical specifications, and proprietary project data."
Apple claims OpenAI is using this information to launch its own AI hardware device. According to the lawsuit, the company is enticing suppliers with alleged approvals from Apple and using them for its own projects. Apple speaks of "coordinated misconduct at an institutional level" and calls OpenAI's hardware business a construct on shaky ground.
OpenAI: "We are not interested in secrets"
OpenAI denies the allegations. The company told "Bloomberg" that it is not interested in the secrets of other companies and focuses on its own technologies.
The dispute seems particularly explosive because Apple and OpenAI are closely cooperating in parallel. The iPhone forwards complex Siri requests to ChatGPT. "Bloomberg" reports that tensions have been growing for some time. According to the report, OpenAI considered its own lawsuit against Apple because the company did not keep its promises regarding the depth and speed of integration.
Apple is now seeking an injunction. It is intended to prohibit OpenAI from any use, disclosure, or possession of the disputed information. Apple also demands damages of an as yet unknown amount. The case also shows how aggressively AI companies are competing for talent and know-how. According to the complaint, OpenAI has poached over 400 employees with high salaries.
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