Apple Sues OpenAI for Alleged Trade Secret Theft

Apple has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, accusing the company of stealing trade secrets to develop its own AI devices, reports The Information. The lawsuit also names two former Apple employees now at OpenAI, Chief Hardware Officer Tang Tan and technical staffer Chang Liu, as defendants.

According to the complaint, OpenAI engaged in a pattern of recruiting Apple employees and encouraging them to share confidential documents and product details. The filing claims that some recruits were asked to bring Apple hardware parts to interviews and share specifications of unannounced devices. Apple alleges that one ex-employee retained an Apple laptop after leaving the company and used it to access and download proprietary hardware files while working for OpenAI.

The lawsuit further alleges that OpenAI misled one of Apple's suppliers into performing a confidential metal finishing process by implying it had Apple’s approval. Apple said it raised concerns with OpenAI in February but received no response. The company is seeking an injunction to prevent OpenAI from using or sharing any of its proprietary information and to compel the return of all materials.

OpenAI has denied the accusations, stating that it has no interest in other companies’ trade secrets and remains focused on developing innovative technologies. The legal dispute follows growing tension between the two companies after their 2024 agreement to integrate ChatGPT into Apple’s devices began to unravel.