Apple Sues OpenAI, Accuses Ex-Employees of Stealing Trade Secrets
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Apple Sues OpenAI, Accuses Ex-Employees of Stealing Trade Secrets

1 min
7/11/2026
AppleOpenAItrade secretslawsuit

Apple has filed a sweeping federal lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging a coordinated and systematic theft of its trade secrets by former employees now working for the AI company. The complaint, filed Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, paints a damning picture of a company that has allegedly built its nascent hardware business on a foundation of stolen intellectual property.

The lawsuit names OpenAI, its hardware subsidiary io Products, and two key individuals: Tang Tan, OpenAI's Chief Hardware Officer and a former Apple vice president, and Chang Liu, a former Apple engineer now on OpenAI's technical staff. Apple alleges that these individuals, along with OpenAI itself, engaged in a