Apple sues OpenAI over former exec’s access to confidential files

Apple filed a lawsuit accusing OpenAI and former Apple VP Tang Tan of misappropriating trade secrets, and alleges that ex‑engineer Chang Liu kept an Apple laptop to siphon more than 1,000 pages of confidential hardware data after his January 2026 departure [1].

Allegations against former Apple staff

Apple’s complaint says Tang Tan, who left Apple for OpenAI in January 2026, continued to access Apple’s internal network by retaining a company‑issued notebook, while Chang Liu allegedly exploited a “rare, previously unknown authentication bug” to pull confidential design files for weeks after his exit [2]. Liu is accused of sending the stolen data to OpenAI and coaching another ex‑Apple employee, Alyssa Peng, on how to copy files without triggering security alerts [1]. The lawsuit also claims Tan instructed hires to bring Apple CAD artifacts to interviews and to conceal their new OpenAI roles, suggesting a broader recruitment strategy built on Apple’s proprietary knowledge [1].

Implications for OpenAI’s hardware push

Apple argues that OpenAI’s hardware development could bypass years of R&D and capital spending by leveraging the stolen Apple information, potentially giving OpenAI a faster, cheaper path to market [1]. The complaint notes OpenAI’s collaboration with Apple suppliers Foxconn, Luxshare and Goertek, and highlights that OpenAI now employs more than 400 former Apple engineers, including the former Vision Pro vice president, underscoring the depth of talent migration [1]. If the allegations hold, OpenAI’s nascent hardware business may rest on misappropriated trade secrets, exposing it to legal and reputational risk.

What to watch

• Court filings – Monitor the U.S. District Court docket for motions on discovery and any injunctions affecting OpenAI’s hardware timeline.
• OpenAI hardware roadmap – Watch for announcements of prototype releases or supplier contracts that could be delayed by the litigation.
• Apple’s security response – Track whether Apple discloses additional vulnerabilities or implements broader decommissioning procedures for departing staff.

The case spotlights the tension between AI firms’ rapid hardware ambitions and the need to protect corporate IP, leaving open whether OpenAI can sustain its hardware development without the contested Apple insights.