Tech giant Apple has officially filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in a 41-page document. The Cupertino-based company accuses the ChatGPT developer of conducting a systematic campaign to poach key employees and gather confidential information regarding Apple's technology development processes and unreleased products.
In its lawsuit, Apple states that OpenAI used this data to facilitate its ambitions in developing artificial intelligence (AI) hardware. This legal action was taken after internal diplomatic efforts since February 2026 reached a deadlock due to the lack of an adequate response from OpenAI regarding the concerns raised by Apple.
The lawsuit also targets io Products, a hardware company founded by former Apple Chief Designer Jony Ive, which was acquired by OpenAI in 2025. Apple specifically highlights two former employees, Tang Yew Tan and Chang Liu, who now hold strategic positions at OpenAI. Tan is accused of using access to internal information, including project secret codes, during the recruitment process.
Furthermore, Apple claims that these actions represent a broader pattern, noting that approximately 400 former Apple employees are currently working at OpenAI. Apple emphasized that these findings are just the "tip of the iceberg" and is seeking damages as well as a court order to halt the use of the allegedly misappropriated confidential information.
Responding to the allegations, an OpenAI spokesperson strongly denied the company's involvement in illegal practices. The statement noted that OpenAI's main focus remains on global technological innovation and that it has no interest in acquiring trade secrets from third parties. This dispute marks a low point in the relationship between the two companies, which had previously entered into a strategic collaboration to integrate the chatbot into the Apple ecosystem in 2024.
