Apple Takes Legal Action Against OpenAI Over Stolen Secrets

Apple has officially taken legal action against OpenAI, accusing the AI company of stealing secret business information. This lawsuit, filed on Friday, claims that a former Apple engineer used a technical error to access private company data after he had already started working for OpenAI. This development follows earlier reports that Apple believes OpenAI is hiring its former employees to gain an unfair advantage, specifically to help them build new hardware that could compete with the iPhone.

According to Ars Technica, the problem began when a former Apple engineer, Chang Liu, left the company in January 2026 to join OpenAI. Even after leaving, Liu kept an Apple-issued work laptop that he should have returned. On February 9, Liu discovered a rare software bug—a mistake in the computer code that allows someone to do something they should not be able to do. This bug gave him access to Apple’s shared network folders, which contained sensitive information about future products and technical designs.

Apple claims that instead of reporting this mistake, Liu used it to download dozens of confidential files. These files included detailed information about unreleased hardware, engineering presentations, and project data. Apple noted that some of these files were clearly marked as secret. One specific document, which explained the design of complex circuit boards, was described by Apple as being extremely valuable to anyone trying to build new hardware devices.

In the lawsuit, Apple shared evidence of messages that Liu allegedly sent to a current Apple employee, Yu-Ting “Alyssa” Peng. In these messages, Liu mocked his former employer for the security mistake. He reportedly wrote, “I found out I can access the network storage, so funny.” Apple discovered these messages while investigating internal communications, which led them to uncover the security breach. The company confirmed that the bug was quickly fixed once they found the messages, and they believe no other users took advantage of the error to steal information.

This legal battle is part of a larger conflict between the two tech companies. Apple argues that OpenAI is working on a plan to create AI-powered devices that would compete directly with Apple’s own products. By hiring former Apple engineers and allegedly taking their internal knowledge, Apple claims that OpenAI is trying to take an “unlawful shortcut” to success. The lawsuit asks the court for several injunctions—official orders from a judge that force a person or company to stop doing something—to prevent OpenAI from using any of the stolen information in its future projects.

This is not the first time Apple has raised concerns about its former staff moving to OpenAI. Earlier reports indicated that Apple had already accused the company of hiring away key talent to gain access to secret product designs. OpenAI has previously denied these claims, but this new lawsuit provides specific details about how the information was allegedly taken. The case is now in the hands of the courts, and it remains to be seen how these accusations will affect the future of both companies.

For now, Apple is continuing its investigation into the extent of the data theft. The company is determined to protect its intellectual property, which refers to the ideas and designs that a company owns and uses to stay ahead of its competitors. As the race to develop the next generation of AI hardware continues, this case serves as a reminder of how important security is for large technology firms. The outcome of this lawsuit could set a significant example for how companies handle the movement of employees and the protection of trade secrets in the future.