Apple Files Lawsuit Against OpenAI for Trade Secret Theft: Allegations of Hardware Secret Leaks via Former Employees

On Friday, July 10, 2026, one of the most high-profile alliances in the tech industry crumbled. Apple filed a massive lawsuit accusing OpenAI of systematically stealing its confidential blueprints and engineering files, targeting OpenAI's attempts to enter the hardware market.

In a complaint filed Friday, Apple claimed that OpenAI recruited its former employees to steal core technologies necessary for hardware development. This is seen as a significant legal move signaling the effective end of the partnership between Apple and ChatGPT maker OpenAI.

During its investigation, Apple discovered a 'pattern of misappropriation' where former employees stole Apple's trade secrets before moving to OpenAI.

One of the primary defendants, Chang Liu, served as a senior systems electrical engineer at Apple for eight years. Apple stated that Liu did not return a company-owned laptop when moving to OpenAI in 2026 and used the device to download confidential engineering files.

Aggressive Talent Recruitment and Supply Chain Secret Leaks

Another former employee, 'Tan', is known to have played an inappropriate role in OpenAI's talent recruitment process. According to Apple's claims, Tan engaged in aggressive poaching activities, such as instructing interview candidates to bring Apple components or coaching employees on exit strategies.

• Requesting to bring internal Apple hardware components during interviews
• Sharing confidential meeting details with key Apple suppliers
• Coaching specific exit scenarios for moving to OpenAI

Tan is also accused of sharing details of meetings with Apple's major suppliers with OpenAI. This information is analyzed to have played a decisive role in OpenAI establishing its own supply chain and calculating hardware manufacturing costs.

The core motivation for this lawsuit is linked to OpenAI's ambitions to enter the hardware market. Apple believes that the stolen secrets were directly used in the development of new AI devices being prepared by OpenAI, criticizing it as an unfair means to gain a competitive advantage in the market.

The relationship between the two companies already showed signs of rapid deterioration starting in early July 2026. Following a report on escalating partnership tensions on July 6, Apple's stock price fell by about 1%, and the formal filing of the lawsuit on July 10 proves that these conflicts have reached an irreversible level.

Legal experts evaluate that this case carries a different weight than the lawsuit previously filed by Elon Musk's xAI, which was dismissed. While the xAI lawsuit was dismissed because it failed to prove specific inducement actions by OpenAI, Apple is presenting physical evidence such as specific file downloads by Liu and Tan and instructions to bring components.

Market analysts are closely watching the impact this legal dispute will have on Apple's future AI strategy. Maxim maintains a positive outlook on Apple, but others such as UBS and Rosenblatt have issued cautious investment opinions, warning of legal risks and uncertainties resulting from the loss of the partnership.