Apple lawsuit against OpenAI alleges poaching, CAD theft and stolen laptops

Apple has filed a 41-page lawsuit against ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, accusing the AI giant of orchestrating a corporate espionage campaign through former Apple employees. The case revolves around Tang Yew Tan and Chang Liu, whom Apple claims engaged in a ‘pattern theft’ of trade secrets and some of the ‘most valuable intellectual assets in all of American business’. According to a report by Fortune, Apple alleges that Chang Liu, a former senior system electrical engineer, failed to return a company-issued laptop and also exploited a rare authentication bug to access Apple’s internal network. As per the suit filed, Liu messaged colleague Alyssa Peng: “LOL, I found out I can access the [network storage], so funny.” He then downloaded dozens of confidential files, including unreleased product designs and engineering presentations.Coaching job candidates to bring CAD designsThe lawsuit also accuses Tang Yew Tan, Apple’s former iPhone and Apple Watch design chief, of using the job internees at OpenAI to mine information from present Apple employees. The Cupertino-based tech giant claims that Tan asked candidates to bring CAD designs and prototypes and also divulge the details of the suppliers. One employee was reportedly shocked, saying he ‘didn’t even know we could take those from the office.’The alleged case of coordinated misconduct Apple further argues that these actions reflect a ‘coordinated pattern of misconduct at an institutional level’ within OpenAI. The company also claims that OpenAI has contacted Apple’s suppliers in order to replicate proprietary manufacturing techniques, misleading them into believing that Apple has authorised the work.A partnership that turned into rivalryApple entered into a partnership with OpenAI in 2024. As part of the association Apple was to integrate ChatGPT into Siri but later it switched to Google Gemini in January 2026. This lawsuit filed by Apple marks a dramatic escalation in tensions, with Apple now accusing OpenAI of systematically raiding its talent pool — more than 400 ex-Apple employees have joined OpenAI — and misappropriating trade secrets to build an AI-powered hardware device.What OpenAI said about these allegationsOpenAI told Fortune it has “no interest in other companies’ trade secrets” and is reviewing the lawsuit. “We remain focused on building innovative technology that empowers people everywhere,” the company said.Get the latest technology news and updates. Download the TOI App.