Apple filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on July 10, 2026, accusing OpenAI and two former Apple employees of stealing trade secrets to support OpenAI’s hardware development.

The complaint names Tang Tan, former vice president of product design at Apple, and Chang Liu, a senior system electrical engineer, as defendants. Both individuals left Apple in early 2026 to join OpenAI.

Apple alleges that Tan used confidential project codenames during interviews, instructed candidates still employed at Apple to bring hardware components and prototypes to OpenAI interview sessions, and distributed an internal “Need to Know” document containing security protocols to new OpenAI hires. Liu is accused of downloading a 1,000‑page compilation of technical files, including circuit board manufacturing details, after exploiting a security flaw and of failing to return an Apple‑issued laptop.

The lawsuit further alleges that OpenAI directed employees to bring CAD files, design artifacts, and information about toolchains, simulation tools, and vendor selections to interviews, and that a trusted partner was asked to perform Apple’s proprietary metal‑finishing process without permission. Apple states that more than 400 former Apple employees now work at OpenAI.

The suit seeks injunctive relief and damages and comes as OpenAI works to launch its first consumer hardware products, including a rumored smartphone slated for 2028 and a HomePod‑style smart speaker.