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Apple files lawsuit in San Jose claiming ex‑employees stole hardware designs and prototypes, naming OpenAI chief hardware officer Tang Tan and engineer Chang
Apple has filed a federal lawsuit in San Jose accusing OpenAI and two former Apple engineers of misappropriating Apple’s unreleased hardware designs, prototypes and confidential documents, seeking an injunction and damages [1].
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Defendant | OpenAI (hardware unit) |
| Accused employees | Tang Tan (chief hardware officer) and Chang Liu (engineer) |
| Alleged theft | Unreleased parts, prototypes, design docs, supplier info |
| Relief sought | Injunction, monetary damages, return of stolen property |
The complaint says Tang Tan, who spent 24 years at Apple and helped design the iPhone, Apple Watch and iPod, recruited current Apple staff and instructed them to bring “actual parts” such as batteries and logic boards to OpenAI interviews, effectively bypassing Apple’s security protocols [1]. It also alleges Chang Liu retained an Apple‑issued laptop after departure, used a bug‑related access loophole to download dozens of confidential hardware files, and coached a recruit on evading Apple’s exit‑process safeguards [1]. Apple’s investigation, based on data from employee devices, uncovered a pattern of former staff copying files and supplier details before moving to OpenAI, prompting the company to raise the issue with OpenAI in February—a request that went unanswered [1][2].
The lawsuit arrives as Apple’s partnership with OpenAI, launched in 2024 to embed ChatGPT across iPhone, Mac and iPad, has soured and shifted toward rivalry. OpenAI’s push to build its own AI‑powered consumer hardware—described as a “family” of devices with a tabletop puck slated for shipment no earlier than April 2027—relies on talent recruited from Apple, including former design chief Jony Ive and the newly hired hardware team [1][2]. If the court enjoins OpenAI from using the allegedly stolen Apple information, the startup may need to redesign its hardware roadmap, potentially delaying its entry into the AI‑device market and giving Apple a strategic edge as it leans more on Google’s Gemini for its own AI initiatives [2].
Apple’s case echoes the 2017 Waymo‑Uber dispute, where Uber settled for $245 million after a former Waymo engineer was found to have taken thousands of confidential files. That precedent underscores the high stakes of IP litigation in Silicon Valley’s hardware arena, where trade‑secret theft can reshape competitive dynamics and valuation of emerging AI hardware ventures [1].
The lawsuit highlights the growing clash between legacy hardware giants and fast‑moving AI firms over proprietary technology, and it will test how aggressively companies can protect their trade secrets as the race to commercial AI devices intensifies.
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AI-assisted synthesis by the TrendWatcher Editorial Desk · sourced from 2 outlets · Jul 29, 2026 · How we report
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