Apple has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging the company has stolen trade secrets to develop its upcoming AI gadgets. The lawsuit, filed in the District Court of Northern California, accuses OpenAI of trade secret misappropriation and breach of contract.

Background

OpenAI has been working with Jony Ive, a former Apple design chief, on a project to build devices that will bring smartphone users into the age of AI. The device is expected to be unveiled later this year, but the lawsuit could potentially delay those plans.

Apple alleges that two former Apple employees, Chang Liu and Tang Tan, played a critical role in the theft of trade secrets. Liu, who left Apple to join OpenAI in January 2026, accessed and downloaded dozens of Apple’s confidential hardware-related files, including information about unreleased products and proprietary project data.

Tan, who previously led iPhone and Apple Watch product design, allegedly used confidential company information when recruiting candidates and coached Apple employees on how to leave the company. Apple also claims that other former Apple employees took confidential information with them when they left to work for OpenAI.

Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.