Apple has issued personal legal warnings to dozens of its former employees who now work at OpenAI, seeking evidence to bolster its claim that the ChatGPT maker misappropriated its trade secrets. The move sharpens a legal confrontation between two companies that, until recently, were partners in bringing generative AI to consumers.
July 17, 2026 · Apple v. OpenAI
Apple takes its trade-secret fight to individual engineers
One week after suing OpenAI, Apple issued personal legal warnings to dozens of former staff now at the ChatGPT maker — seeking evidence that its confidential hardware secrets were misappropriated.
50+
Former Apple employees now working at OpenAI
41
Pages in the complaint filed July 10
dozens
Confidential hardware files allegedly downloaded
Years at Apple — the two named engineers
Each block = 4 years of tenure before joining OpenAI.
24 yrs
Tang Yew Tan
8 yrs
Chang Liu
Core allegations
Misconduct "at every level" — from Technical Staff to the Chief Hardware Officer.
A company laptop allegedly never returned after departure
A rare authentication bug exploited to pull confidential files over weeks
Interviewees asked to bring in actual parts in a "show and tell"
Coaching to evade Apple's security processes
Alleged transfer of a metal-finishing process and supplier information
Internal message attributed to Liu: "LOL, I found out I can access the [network storage], so funny."
Apple's position
Coordinated theft enabled by a large talent pipeline. Seeking an injunction, return of materials, and damages.
OpenAI's response
Publicly disputes the substance of the claims; no detailed formal rebuttal confirmed at the time of the filings.
How the dispute escalated
JUL 10
Lawsuit filed against OpenAI, io Products & two engineers
→
JUL 17
Personal legal warnings sent to dozens of former staff
→
NEXT
Hiring records become discovery material as case widens
The commercial relationship over ChatGPT integration in Apple Intelligence remains in place, even as the legal front broadens.
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