Apple sues OpenAI over alleged trade secret theft
Apple alleges the misconduct was directed by OpenAi's senior leadership, including a long-time former employee.
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Apple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI alleging that former Apple employees who joined OpenAI stole trade secrets and confidential information about unreleased technologies and products. The complaint names OpenAI's Chief Hardware Officer and another former Apple engineer, accusing them of using Apple's confidential project code names during recruiting, requesting Apple hardware components be brought to interviews, and downloading confidential technical documents. This matters because OpenAI is rumored to be developing its first hardware product that could compete with Apple's core business, and Apple alleges that OpenAI's hardware efforts are built on misappropriated Apple trade secrets. The lawsuit comes after Apple sent a letter to OpenAI in February raising these concerns without receiving a response.
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Apple sues OpenAI for allegedly stealing hardware secrets
Apple has sued OpenAI, alleging that engineers stole Apple secrets to advance the AI startup's hardware plans. In its complaint, Apple says it uncovered "a pattern of theft of Apple's trade secrets by OpenAI employees who were formerly at Apple." In addition to OpenAI, the lawsuit also names IO Products - Jony Ive's hardware startup, which OpenAI bought in 2025 - along with two specific employees, Tang Tan (OpenAI's chief hardware officer) and Chang Liu (who joined OpenAI from
