Apple seeks injunction against OpenAI, alleges expanded trade secrets theft by former employees

Apple’s trade secrets case against OpenAI escalated with a new court filing that alleges additional former employees may have taken or accessed confidential Apple information. The filing seeks expedited discovery and a preliminary injunction to prevent OpenAI from developing products based on Apple’s alleged technology. Apple named two OpenAI employees—senior systems engineer Chang Liu and Chief Hardware Officer Tang Yew Tan—as well as OpenAI’s foundation and io, a device startup co-founded by former Apple lead designer Jony Ive, in the motion.

The company claims its ongoing investigation has identified 11 other former Apple employees beyond Liu and Tan who may have been witnesses or otherwise involved in the alleged scheme. Apple also alleges that some of these former employees met with Liu and Yu-Ting Peng, another OpenAI employee named in the original complaint, to discuss unreleased Apple product details before Peng’s interview at OpenAI. One former employee is accused of taking screenshots of confidential Apple documents related to an unreleased product prior to an OpenAI interview.

Apple further alleges that after its initial complaint was filed, multiple former Apple employees now working at OpenAI contacted the company to discuss returning Apple-issued work devices they had retained after leaving Apple. Apple argues this behavior suggests broader involvement in the alleged misconduct and has asked the court to allow expedited discovery on that basis.

OpenAI responded in a public blog post, calling Apple’s request for a preliminary injunction "both based on false information and completely unnecessary," and stating it does not have or want Apple’s trade secrets. The company also contested Apple’s characterization of earlier communications and internal security practices, asserting that Apple’s own procedures contributed to the alleged residual access issues.