Apple sues OpenAI alleging theft of trade secrets and hardware designs
Apple has filed a 41-page lawsuit accusing former employees now at OpenAI of misusing confidential information and soliciting Apple hardware components during recruitment.
Apple filed a lawsuit claiming that three former employees who joined OpenAI – Tang Tan, Chang Liu and Yu-Ting "Alyssa" Peng – participated in a scheme to obtain Apple trade secrets as OpenAI prepares its first AI hardware device. The complaint says Liu kept an Apple-owned computer after leaving the company, accessed Apple’s cloud storage through an undocumented vulnerability, and downloaded dozens of confidential files, including engineering specifications and manufacturing details. Peng is alleged to have shared those files with Liu and to have provided OpenAI with ongoing updates on Apple projects.
According to the filing, Tan, who became OpenAI’s chief hardware officer, asked job candidates to bring Apple components such as batteries, system-in-package modules and logic boards for “show and tell” sessions and to prepare technical presentations that included proprietary information. The suit also alleges that OpenAI used internal off-boarding documents to advise former Apple staff on how to evade standard security checks and exit-interview procedures.
Apple further accuses OpenAI of approaching a trusted supplier that performs a proprietary metal-finishing process for Apple products, misleading the partner into believing it had permission to use Apple’s technique, and of probing another supplier about power and battery components using internal Apple codenames.
"We have no interest in other companies’ trade secrets. We remain focused on building innovative technology that empowers people everywhere," OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri said.
Apple says the alleged actions constitute theft of trade secrets and request injunctive relief and damages.