Apple has launched a major legal offensive against OpenAI, filing a lawsuit on Friday that accuses the AI leader, its chief hardware officer, and a former Apple engineer of orchestrating a systematic effort to pilfer highly sensitive trade secrets.
The complaint, submitted to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, represents a sharp deterioration in relations between the two companies. It targets OpenAI Foundation, OpenAI Group PBC, and io Products — the hardware startup co-founded by ex-Apple leaders that OpenAI purchased for approximately $6.5 billion in 2025. Also named as individual defendants are Chang Liu, a former senior systems electrical engineer at Apple, and Tang Yew Tan, OpenAI’s current chief hardware officer and a longtime Apple veteran.
Apple describes the actions as a deliberate “pattern of theft” targeting some of its most prized intellectual property. While former Apple design icon Jony Ive, a co-founder of io Products, is not personally named in the suit, the allegations cast a shadow over the venture he helped establish. The iPhone maker further highlights that more than 400 ex-Apple staffers have joined OpenAI, portraying it as part of a larger pattern of talent raiding.
Details of the Allegations
According to the filing, Chang Liu departed Apple for OpenAI in January 2026 after nearly eight years with the company. He allegedly failed to return his company-issued laptop and used it to exfiltrate confidential documents detailing unreleased hardware projects. Apple also claims Liu guided a departing colleague on discreetly copying files, bypassing security protocols, and focusing on particularly sensitive data.
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Tang Yew Tan, who spent 24 years at Apple before leaving, faces even broader accusations. In the period leading up to his exit, he reportedly emailed himself supplier details and internal analyses of the consumer electronics sector. Once at OpenAI, Tan allegedly encouraged Apple recruits to bring physical device components, prototypes, CAD files, and design materials to interviews for “show and tell” demonstrations.
One candidate was reportedly stunned to discover such items could be taken out of Apple facilities, according to earlier reporting by TechCrunch.
The lawsuit further contends that OpenAI leveraged the allegedly stolen information to reach out directly to Apple’s contract manufacturers. In one instance, OpenAI reportedly convinced a supplier to perform a proprietary metal-finishing technique by pretending the request had Apple’s approval. Apple says it contacted OpenAI about its concerns as early as February, but received no response.
Responses and Broader Context
An OpenAI spokesperson pushed back, stating the company has “no interest in other companies’ trade secrets” and remains dedicated to developing technology that benefits people worldwide. Apple countered that substantial evidence points to OpenAI employees improperly acquiring confidential details on unreleased technologies, processes, and products.
In strong language, Apple’s complaint asserts a lack of transparency into OpenAI’s internal operations, claiming such behavior appears “normalized and exemplified by leadership.” The company argues that OpenAI’s hardware initiatives are built on shaky ground due to misappropriated secrets. It is seeking court orders to prevent OpenAI from using or distributing the information and to force the return of all stolen intellectual property.
The suit arrives amid a once-promising partnership that has frayed significantly. Apple and OpenAI announced a collaboration in 2024 to integrate ChatGPT into Siri, but ties have cooled markedly since then. Apple is being represented by the law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP.
This high-profile clash underscores growing tensions in the tech industry over talent mobility, intellectual property protection, and the fierce competition to lead in artificial intelligence and hardware innovation.