Apple has sued OpenAI, alleging that former Apple employees now at the AI company misappropriated trade secrets during recruitment and hardware development.
Key facts
- •Apple alleges that former employees solicited trade secrets during job interviews and downloaded hardware manufacturing files.
- •Tang Tan, OpenAI's chief hardware officer and a former Apple VP, is identified in the lawsuit as a central figure in the alleged data gathering.
- •OpenAI acquired Jony Ive’s hardware startup, io Products, in 2025 for $6.5 billion.
- •Legal experts suggest the case could result in a years-long trial, similar to Apple's past litigation against Samsung.
- •OpenAI has denied the allegations made by Apple.
Apple has initiated a trade secret lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that former Apple staff members solicited confidential information during job interviews and downloaded proprietary hardware manufacturing files. The lawsuit claims that ex-Apple employees, including OpenAI's chief hardware officer Tang Tan, pressured candidates to disclose secret project details and bring hardware outside of Apple facilities. OpenAI has denied the allegations.
By the numbers
Allegations Against Former Employees
The lawsuit centers on claims that former Apple employees, particularly Tang Tan, engaged in improper conduct while recruiting for OpenAI. Apple alleges that Tan, who spent 24 years at Apple before joining io Products and subsequently OpenAI, used his knowledge of internal project code names to encourage interviewees to share sensitive information. Other claims include instances where employees allegedly accessed confidential data on devices and exchanged messages about the access.
Industry Context and Legal Strategy
Legal experts note that while the specific allegations are significant, trade secret litigation is a recurring feature in the tech industry. Apple has a history of aggressive intellectual property litigation, having previously pursued copyright and patent cases against companies like Microsoft and Samsung. Unlike those established corporations, OpenAI is currently navigating financial pressures, including ongoing cash burn and preparations for an IPO, which complicates its ability to manage a prolonged legal battle.
The Role of Jony Ive
While the lawsuit focuses on the actions of former Apple staff, notable designer Jony Ive is not named as a defendant. Ive, who previously collaborated with Steve Jobs at Apple, now works with OpenAI on hardware development through his company, io Products, which OpenAI acquired in 2025. Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman have publicly characterized traditional smartphones and laptops as "legacy devices."
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by The Verge.
