# Apple sues OpenAI alleging trade secret theft and coordinated misconduct

> Apple has taken OpenAI to court, and the accusations read less like a routine talent dispute and more like corporate espionage. The complaint claims OpenAI hired more than 400 former Apple employees and, in some cases, coached job candidates to bring "actual parts" and confidential hardware artifacts to their interviews. A longtime Apple VP, Tang Tan, is named as directing that behavior, while an engineer, Chang Liu, allegedly downloaded dozens of secret hardware files and walked another employee through how to copy materials. The backdrop matters. Tensions between the two companies sharpened after OpenAI acquired Io, the hardware startup co-founded by former Apple design lead Jony Ive, signaling that OpenAI wants to build devices, not just models. Apple says it raised concerns privately in February 2026 and got no response before filing. Whether or not the specific claims hold up in court, the suit captures how bruising the fight for AI hardware talent has become, and how a company that once set the standard for secrecy now feels itself on the receiving end.

_Section: [Daily AI Updates](https://www.wortins.com/daily-ai) · Source: Silicon Republic · Published Friday, July 17, 2026_

## Wortins' read

Apple has taken OpenAI to court, and the accusations read less like a routine talent dispute and more like corporate espionage. The complaint claims OpenAI hired more than 400 former Apple employees and, in some cases, coached job candidates to bring "actual parts" and confidential hardware artifacts to their interviews. A longtime Apple VP, Tang Tan, is named as directing that behavior, while an engineer, Chang Liu, allegedly downloaded dozens of secret hardware files and walked another employee through how to copy materials. The backdrop matters. Tensions between the two companies sharpened after OpenAI acquired Io, the hardware startup co-founded by former Apple design lead Jony Ive, signaling that OpenAI wants to build devices, not just models. Apple says it raised concerns privately in February 2026 and got no response before filing. Whether or not the specific claims hold up in court, the suit captures how bruising the fight for AI hardware talent has become, and how a company that once set the standard for secrecy now feels itself on the receiving end.

## Source

[Read the full story at Silicon Republic](https://www.siliconrepublic.com/business/apple-sues-openai-over-alleged-trade-secrets-theft)

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