Apple Sues OpenAI Alleging Trade Secret Theft

According to Axios, Apple has sued OpenAI, alleging the AI company deliberately solicited and misappropriated Apple trade secrets by recruiting current and former Apple employees and obtaining confidential information about unreleased technologies, processes, and products. OpenAI denied wrongdoing, saying it has no interest in other companies’ trade secrets.

Axios reported that the complaint names former Apple senior electrical engineer Chang Liu, alleging he kept a work-issued Apple laptop, exploited a bug to access Apple cloud file storage after leaving, and downloaded dozens of confidential files while working on OpenAI hardware. The suit also references Tang Tan, an Apple veteran now OpenAI’s chief hardware officer and a co-founder of io Products, alleging he used Apple internal codenames to elicit information from Apple employees interviewing for OpenAI roles and encouraged candidates to bring “actual parts” for “show and tell.” Apple also alleges Tan circulated an Apple offboarding document to help new hires avoid Apple exit checks. Apple said more than 400 former Apple employees now work at OpenAI and is seeking an order to stop use or disclosure of its trade secrets, the return of Apple materials, and damages.