Apple Sues OpenAI Over Trade Secret Theft Claims

Apple has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing the company of orchestrating a scheme to steal trade secrets and breach contracts by poaching former Apple employees. The suit highlights OpenAI’s Chief Hardware Officer Tang Tan, a 24-year Apple veteran, who allegedly used confidential project code names during recruiting, asked candidates to bring Apple hardware to interviews, and coached departees on evading security protocols. Apple also claims senior electrical engineer Chang Liu failed to return a company laptop and used it to download proprietary documents. These actions are part of a wider pattern, Apple argues, as OpenAI races to develop its first hardware product—rumored to be a smartphone that relies on AI agents, potentially threatening the iPhone’s dominance. The lawsuit, filed in California, alleges OpenAI’s leadership directed this misconduct, even using Apple’s confidential techniques in its own hardware development without permission. Why it matters: This isn’t just a legal spat—it underscores the escalating stakes as AI companies like OpenAI pivot to hardware, directly challenging Apple’s core business and raising questions about competitive ethics in Silicon Valley’s talent wars.