Apple has initiated legal action against OpenAI, claiming that former Apple employees who now work for OpenAI have misappropriated Apple's trade secrets for OpenAI's benefit. In its legal complaint, Apple asserts that it has identified a pattern of theft involving OpenAI employees who previously worked at Apple. The lawsuit names IO Products, a hardware startup acquired by OpenAI in 2025 and founded by Jony Ive, as well as Tang Tan, OpenAI's chief hardware officer, and Chang Liu, who joined OpenAI from Apple in January, as defendants. An Apple spokesperson provided a statement to 9to5Mac regarding the lawsuit.
✓ AI-Debiased Article
4
Wire-neutral
provisional
✓ No loaded language, vague sourcing, or framing detected.
Apple files lawsuit against OpenAI over alleged trade secret theft
Apple has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that former employees have stolen trade secrets. The lawsuit names specific individuals and a hardware startup acquired by OpenAI as defendants.
Companies
Apple
OpenAI
IO Products
People
Jony Ive
Tang Tan
Chang Liu
Annotating as
No note attached
on this article.
Read next
Apple sues OpenAI for alleged theft of trade secrets
PBS NewsHour
Apple files lawsuit against OpenAI over trade secret allegations
Al Jazeera English
Apple files lawsuit against OpenAI
The Hill
Apple files lawsuit against OpenAI alleging trade secret theft
BBC — World
Apple files lawsuit against OpenAI for alleged trade secret theft
Deutsche Welle
Original vs. Neutral
Original Headline
Apple sues OpenAI for allegedly stealing hardware secrets
Neutral Headline
Apple files lawsuit against OpenAI over alleged trade secret theft