Apple has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging a coordinated theft of trade secrets by former Apple employees now working at the AI company. The complaint centers on two key figures: Tang Tan, OpenAI’s chief hardware officer, and Chang Liu, who joined OpenAI from Apple in January. Apple claims Liu accessed its systems after leaving, downloading confidential files on unreleased products and instructing a former colleague to copy data using encrypted messaging to avoid detection. The suit also targets IO Products, Jony Ive’s hardware startup acquired by OpenAI in 2025. Apple accuses Tan of emailing supplier information to himself before departing and soliciting confidential data during interviews with Apple candidates. OpenAI denies the allegations, stating it has no interest in others’ trade secrets. Why it matters: This lawsuit underscores the escalating tensions between tech giants as AI development increasingly relies on proprietary hardware, potentially reshaping how companies protect intellectual property in the age of competitive AI talent poaching.