Apple Sues OpenAI Alleging Trade-Secret Theft by Two Former Employees

Apple sued OpenAI and two former employees on July 10 in federal court in California. The complaint claims misappropriation of confidential engineering data and product details.

Jul 10, 5:00 PM(1 hr ago)·1m read35 sources

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Apple Sues OpenAI Alleging Trade-Secret Theft by Two Former Employees

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Apple filed a civil lawsuit on July 10, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against OpenAI and two former employees, alleging misappropriation of trade secrets. The complaint names Chang Liu, a former senior electrical system engineer at Apple now employed at OpenAI, and Tang Yew Tan, previously vice president of product design for the iPhone and Apple Watch at Apple and now OpenAI’s chief hardware officer.

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It states that Liu used a company-issued laptop after his departure to access engineering presentations, technical specifications, and project data, and coached a colleague on bypassing security protocols while copying files. The filing further alleges that Tan directed job candidates to bring physical parts for “show and tell” sessions about unannounced products and instructed new hires not to disclose their OpenAI roles to Apple so they could remain longer at the company.

Apple alleges the misconduct was directed by OpenAI's senior leadership, including a longtime former employee, according to TechCrunch.

Apple and OpenAI formed a partnership in 2024 to integrate ChatGPT into Apple devices. The suit follows internal concerns Apple raised before filing. Apple seeks a preliminary and permanent injunction requiring the return of confidential information along with unspecified damages.