Apple has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing the artificial intelligence company and two former employees of stealing trade secrets related to its hardware. The complaint, filed on Friday, alleges that OpenAI and the individuals engaged in a coordinated effort to poach Apple staff and obtain confidential information.
In response, a spokesperson for OpenAI stated: "We have no interest in other companies' trade secrets. We remain focused on building innovative technology that empowers people everywhere."
Allegations of a Pattern of Theft
According to the lawsuit, Apple identified a "pattern of theft" beginning with Chang Liu, a former senior system electrical engineer who left Apple in January 2026 to join OpenAI. Liu allegedly failed to return a company laptop or schedule an exit interview. After leaving, he discovered an "authentication bug" that allowed him to access Apple's internal systems, where he surreptitiously downloaded dozens of confidential files, including technical specifications and engineering presentations for unreleased products.
The complaint also accuses Liu of coaching a former Apple colleague on how to avoid security detection while copying files, advising her on which confidential material to study for an interview with OpenAI.
Another key figure is Tang Yew Tan, OpenAI's chief hardware officer, who spent 24 years at Apple as vice president of product design for the iPhone and Apple Watch. The lawsuit claims Tan emailed himself information about Apple's suppliers and internal industry summaries before leaving. After joining OpenAI, he allegedly used interviews to extract information from candidates, requesting they bring actual Apple parts for "show and tell" sessions.
Apple describes these findings as the "tip of the iceberg," stating it "lacks visibility into what has been happening behind closed doors at OpenAI, where such misconduct is normalised and exemplified by leadership." The company added that OpenAI's hardware business is "on the shakiest of foundations, rotten to its core by its illegal reliance on misappropriated trade secrets."
This legal action comes amid broader tensions in the tech industry over intellectual property. In a related development, US news outlets have sought sanctions against OpenAI in a copyright dispute, highlighting the company's ongoing legal challenges.
OpenAI recently teased a new hardware product, the Codex Micro, a programmable keyboard known as a macro pad, which appears in a teaser trailer as a small desk gadget. The lawsuit raises questions about the origins of such products, though OpenAI has not commented on the specific allegations.
The case underscores the fierce competition for talent and technology in the AI sector, with implications for European companies that rely on fair competition and intellectual property protections. As the EU tightens regulations under the Digital Markets Act, the EU court has upheld Apple's 'gatekeeper' status, adding another layer to the legal landscape.
For now, the lawsuit is a reminder of the high stakes in the race to dominate AI hardware, with both Apple and OpenAI vying for leadership in a market that could reshape consumer electronics.
