Apple Sues OpenAI Over Alleged Theft of Hardware Trade Secrets

Apple filed a federal lawsuit in the Northern District of California accusing OpenAI, its hardware subsidiary io Products, and former Apple employees of systematically misappropriating trade secrets tied to unreleased hardware designs, manufacturing processes, and supplier relationships. The complaint names OpenAI hardware chief Tang Yew Tan and former Apple engineer Chang Liu, and alleges OpenAI recruiters asked Apple candidates to bring confidential prototypes, CAD files, design artifacts, and physical parts to interviews while using internal Apple project codenames to probe knowledge of unreleased products.

Apple also alleges former employees retained company equipment, accessed internal systems after departure, downloaded confidential engineering and manufacturing files, and shared guidance on bypassing Apple security and offboarding controls. The suit further claims OpenAI used insider knowledge to approach Apple suppliers and sought unauthorized use of a proprietary metal-finishing technique, as Apple pursues damages, return of materials, preservation of evidence, and court orders blocking any further use of its trade secrets despite the companies' ongoing partnership around ChatGPT integration in Apple Intelligence.