Apple filed a federal lawsuit in Northern California on Friday accusing OpenAI of misappropriating trade secrets to develop consumer hardware, escalating a rivalry between the two tech giants.
The complaint names former Apple executives Tang Yew Tan and Chang Liu as co-defendants, alleging Tan emailed himself supplier information before departing and instructed job candidates to bring actual Apple components to interviews. Liu allegedly downloaded dozens of confidential hardware files using a colleague's machine after failing to return a company laptop. Apple claims OpenAI has encouraged its employees to share details about forthcoming products and notes that more than 400 former Apple staff now work at the AI company.
Apple is seeking damages and an injunction blocking OpenAI from using its confidential information. The dispute comes as OpenAI prepares an initial public offering and following its $6.5 billion acquisition of Jony Ive's io Products startup last year.