Apple Initiates Legal Battle Against OpenAI Over Trade Secret Theft
Cupertino, CA — July 10, 2026 — In an unexpected legal twist, Apple has launched a significant lawsuit against OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT, in the federal court of Northern California. The tech giant accuses OpenAI of a systematic theft of trade secrets to bolster its burgeoning hardware business.
Apple’s allegations point towards OpenAI’s Chief Hardware Officer, Tang Tan, who has a 24-year history with Apple and has served as the VP of product design for the iPhone and Apple Watch. The lawsuit claims that Tan encouraged both current and former Apple employees to disclose confidential information, internal components, engineering drawings, and details about unreleased products during the recruitment process.
Another former Apple employee, senior electrical engineer Chang Liu, is accused of keeping an Apple-issued laptop after joining OpenAI. Liu allegedly used this laptop to download numerous confidential technical documents.
“At every level, from members of its Technical Staff to its Chief Hardware Officer, and in coordination with business partners, OpenAI has been stealing Apple’s trade secrets and confidential information,” Apple declared in its 41-page legal filing. Apple is seeking damages, injunctions, and an order to prevent OpenAI from using its trade secrets.
This lawsuit marks a dramatic shift in the relationship between the two companies, who announced a high-profile partnership in 2024 when ChatGPT was integrated into Apple’s operating system. However, Apple’s updated Siri, set to launch this fall, will be powered by Google’s Gemini AI models instead. OpenAI responded to the allegations, stating: “We have no interest in other companies’ trade secrets.”
Source: CNBC — Apple Initiates Legal Battle Against OpenAI Over Trade Secret Theft