OpenAI has issued a formal statement in response to Apple’s lawsuit accusing the company of trade secret theft. Read it below.
OpenAI denies Apple’s accusations
Early today, Apple filed a lawsuit against former employees Chang Liu and Tang Tan, as well as against OpenAI and io Products, alleging “misappropriation of trade secrets and breach of contract.”
In it, Apple accuses its former employees of stealing sensitive hardware information and using it to advance OpenAI’s nascent consumer hardware efforts.
The company details what it describes as “a pattern of theft of Apple trade secrets by OpenAI employees who were formerly at Apple,” adding that “such misconduct is normalized and exemplified by leadership.”
Apple claims that, in addition to accessing its systems and confidential files without authorization, the defendants encouraged job candidates to bring Apple prototypes and components to interviews, reveal details about unreleased products and manufacturing processes, and help OpenAI approach Apple suppliers using proprietary information.
Apple’s lawsuit details the alleged misconduct in great detail, and you can read the company’s full complaint here.
Following Apple’s presentation, OpenAI’s Director of Strategic Communications, Drew Pusateri, led to to comment on behalf of the company.
In his post, he states that OpenAI “has no interest in other companies’ trade secrets,” adding that OpenAI remains “focused on building innovative technology that empowers people everywhere.”
This is not the first time that OpenAI’s hardware efforts with io products led by Jony Ive have been embroiled in a trade secret dispute.
Starting iyO hardware initially sued OpenAI and io Products about its brand shortly after the partnership was announced, then amended his complaint in March 2026 to add accusations of misappropriation of trade secrets.
The amended lawsuit also named Tang Tan as a defendant, alleging that a former iyO engineer downloaded confidential files and provided them to the former Apple executive. OpenAI has also disputed iyO’s allegations.
For more information on Apple’s lawsuit against OpenAI, follow this link.
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