Apple says its former employees stole its trade secrets for OpenAI's benefit
Apple Inc.Plaintiff, in the complaint filed by its lawyers at Weil, Gotshal & Manges
In its complaint, Apple says the case is about its former employees stealing Apple's trade secrets for the benefit of OpenAI and that it brings the suit to stop it.
Responding to
Former Apple employees who joined OpenAI, including chief hardware officer Tang Tan and engineer Chang Liu, took Apple's trade secrets and confidential information and used them to help OpenAI develop hardware.
“This case is about Apple's former employees stealing Apple's trade secrets for the benefit of OpenAI. Apple brings this suit to put a stop to it.”
Original text
Where this statement fits
Apple sues OpenAI, saying former Apple employees took its trade secrets; OpenAI says it sees no evidence the complaint has merit
Apple sued OpenAI, OpenAI's hardware company io Products and two former Apple employees in federal court in San Jose on July 10, 2026, alleging that the employees took Apple's confidential hardware information for OpenAI's benefit. The complaint says engineer Chang Liu kept an Apple laptop and used an authentication bug to download Apple files while working at OpenAI, and that Tang Tan, now OpenAI's chief hardware officer, emailed himself information about Apple's suppliers before leaving and used Apple information in job interviews. OpenAI says it is not aware of any evidence that the complaint has merit. On October 16, the court approved an agreement in which the defendants will not use Apple confidential information and will submit devices and accounts holding such information to forensic inspection. The court has not ruled on Apple's claims.
Source and context
Original text
About this source
The 41-page complaint Apple filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, San Jose Division, against former Apple engineer Chang Liu, OpenAI chief hardware officer Tang Yew Tan, OpenAI Foundation, OpenAI Group PBC and io Products. It brings claims for trade secret misappropriation and breach of contract, asks for a jury trial and seeks an injunction, damages and other relief.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
The complaint opens by naming the defendants: former Apple engineer Chang Liu, OpenAI chief hardware officer Tang Yew Tan, two OpenAI entities and io Products.
After the quotation
The complaint goes on to say that Apple has invested hundreds of billions of dollars and decades of effort in its hardware products and keeps its product development confidential.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is the conduct Apple alleges: that former Apple employees, including OpenAI's chief hardware officer, took Apple trade secrets and used them to help OpenAI build hardware. Apple, the plaintiff, says its former employees stole its trade secrets for OpenAI's benefit and that it sued to stop it, which condemns that alleged conduct.
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More from this case
Read the full caseOpenAI says it is not aware of any evidence that Apple's complaint has merit
OpenAI
“While we take these allegations seriously, we're not aware of any evidence that this complaint has merit.”Read statement
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- Apple says its former employees stole its trade secrets for OpenAI's benefit
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The Dispute Index. "Apple says its former employees stole its trade secrets for OpenAI's benefit". First published: 2026-10-23. Last updated: 2026-10-23. https://disputeindex.com/events/6576-in-its-complaint-apple-says-the-case-is