Apple expands legal pursuit of former staff over OpenAI trade secrets

The filing identifies 11 additional former employees suspected of involvement, moving the scope of the case well beyond the initial focus on senior systems engineer Chang Liu and Chief Hardware Officer Tang Yew Tan. Apple points to specific instances where departing staff discussed proprietary information during meetings or captured screenshots of confidential documents before moving to OpenAI or the startup io, co-founded by Jony Ive.

Evidence of potential misconduct continues to emerge, according to Apple, citing cases where former staff reached out to return company-issued devices only after the initial complaint was filed. The company argues this pattern warrants immediate court intervention to prevent the potential development of rival AI hardware based on stolen intellectual property.

OpenAI has dismissed the allegations as meritless, labeling the request for an injunction a fabrication. In a public response, the AI firm denied possessing any trade secrets belonging to Apple. Furthermore, OpenAI highlighted previous procedural errors by Apple—including an email sent to the wrong recipient and disputes over legal communications—to characterize the company's legal strategy as aggressive and unfounded. OpenAI maintains its focus remains on independent innovation rather than the acquisition of external proprietary data.