Apple sues OpenAI, accuses ex-employees of stealing trade secrets
Two former Apple execs allegedly fed confidential info to OpenAI’s hardware team.
Apple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing former employees Tang Tan (ex-VP of product design) and Chang Liu of stealing trade secrets for OpenAI’s benefit, according to the complaint. The suit alleges that Tan used Apple’s internal project codenames in interviews and directed candidates to bring Apple hardware parts. A candidate began screenshotting and downloading files about a confidential Apple project hours before an interview with Tan, who then solicited more information. Apple says it raised concerns in February but OpenAI never responded. The suit also names io Products, the startup founded by Jony Ive that OpenAI acquired last year.
- Apple claims Tang Tan used Apple’s internal project codenames to extract confidential info from job candidates and directed them to bring actual Apple hardware to interviews.
- Chang Liu is accused of downloading sensitive Apple files just hours before his OpenAI interview; Apple says this is part of a broader pattern.
- Apple says it privately alerted OpenAI in February but received no response, and the lawsuit describes the known thefts as 'the tip of the iceberg.'
Why It Matters
This lawsuit could set a precedent for IP protection in AI hardware as big tech battles over talent and trade secrets.