Apple Sues OpenAI, Alleging Theft of Confidential Hardware Secrets

On July 10, 2026, Apple filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against OpenAI and its Chief Hardware Officer Tang Tan, alleging they systematically stole Apple's trade secrets to build a hardware business. The defendants include OpenAI, Tang Tan (a former Apple vice president), technical staffer Chang Liu, and io Products, the startup OpenAI acquired. Apple is seeking an injunction, damages and an order halting use of its trade secrets.