Apple Sues OpenAI Over Alleged Theft of Trade Secrets

Apple has officially taken legal action against OpenAI, filing a lawsuit in a federal court in California. The tech giant claims that OpenAI, along with two former Apple employees and a hardware startup called io Products, has engaged in a systematic pattern of stealing valuable trade secrets. According to BBC News, Apple argues that this information was used to help OpenAI enter the competitive consumer hardware market.

This legal battle represents a significant change in the relationship between the two companies. For years, Apple and OpenAI worked together as partners. Apple even allowed its users to access ChatGPT directly through the Siri voice assistant on iPhones and other devices. However, tensions began to rise last year when OpenAI purchased io Products, a hardware company founded by former Apple designer Jony Ive. As reported by The Guardian, Apple’s recent move to use Google’s Gemini model for its updated Siri assistant instead of ChatGPT further highlighted the growing distance between the two firms.

In its complaint, Apple describes what it calls a "pattern of theft." The company alleges that two of its former employees, who now work at OpenAI, took confidential documents and product designs with them when they left. One of these individuals is Tang Yew Tan, a former vice president at Apple who is now OpenAI’s chief hardware officer. The other is Chang Liu, a former senior electrical engineer. Apple claims that Liu used a technical bug to access the company’s internal network after he had already left his job, allowing him to download dozens of sensitive hardware files.

Apple’s lawsuit goes further, accusing OpenAI of pressuring current Apple employees to share secrets during job interviews. According to The Verge, the complaint alleges that OpenAI interviewers asked potential hires to bring "actual parts" from Apple to their interviews as "props" for show and tell. Apple claims this was a deliberate strategy to gain information about its secret manufacturing techniques and unreleased product plans. Deutsche Welle noted that Apple tried to discuss these concerns with OpenAI in February but was ultimately ignored by the company.

OpenAI has strongly denied the accusations. Drew Pusateri, a spokesperson for OpenAI, told the BBC that the company has "no interest in other companies’ trade secrets." He added that OpenAI remains focused on building innovative technology that helps people everywhere. The company is currently reviewing the legal documents filed by Apple.

For Apple, the protection of its intellectual property—the ideas and designs that belong to the company—is a top priority. A spokesperson for Apple stated that the company has found "significant evidence" that its confidential information regarding unreleased products and processes was taken wrongfully. The company is now asking the court to stop OpenAI from using any of the alleged stolen information and is seeking money for the damages caused by these actions.

This case highlights the intense competition in the technology industry as AI companies look to move beyond software and into physical devices. OpenAI is expected to release its first hardware product, a type of keyboard designed to work with its AI tools, later this month. Apple argues that this new business is built on a foundation of stolen work. As the legal process begins, the industry will be watching closely to see how these claims affect the future of both companies. The lawsuit serves as a reminder of how strictly large technology firms protect their internal research and development, especially when former employees move to rival companies.