Apple sues OpenAI over alleged theft of trade secrets and hardware design data
Apple has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI alleging the misappropriation of trade secrets and proprietary hardware design data involving former employees.
1. Allegations of Trade Secret Misappropriation
Apple has filed a 41-page lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing the company of stealing confidential information, spying on hardware prototypes, and improperly obtaining proprietary design techniques. The complaint centers on the actions of three former Apple employees who moved to OpenAI: Tang Tan, the former vice president of the Apple Watch; Chang Liu, a former systems electrical engineer; and Yu-Ting “Alyssa” Peng. Apple alleges that these individuals engaged in a coordinated effort to siphon technical specifications, engineering data, and details regarding unreleased products to assist OpenAI in developing its own AI hardware, which is expected to launch next year.
2. Improper Data Access and Recruitment Tactics
The lawsuit claims that OpenAI actively solicited Apple’s trade secrets during the hiring process. Apple alleges that Tang Tan, now OpenAI’s chief hardware officer, instructed job candidates to bring confidential hardware components and product samples to interviews for “show and tell” sessions. Furthermore, the filing accuses Chang Liu of retaining an Apple-owned computer after his departure and exploiting an authentication vulnerability to download dozens of confidential files from Apple’s network storage. Apple also claims that OpenAI provided “coaching” to departing Apple employees on how to bypass internal security measures, avoid exit interviews, and evade standard security reviews to prevent the company from discovering the unauthorized data transfers.
3. Misuse of Proprietary Manufacturing Techniques
Beyond internal data theft, Apple alleges that OpenAI misled the company’s trusted partners to gain access to proprietary manufacturing processes. According to the complaint, OpenAI approached a supplier that performs a specialized, multi-step metal-finishing technique for Apple products, falsely implying that they had Apple’s permission to utilize the process. Apple also accuses OpenAI of using internal codenames and confidential information to solicit sensitive data from other suppliers regarding battery and power components.