Apple (蘋果) has officially filed a lawsuit with the U.S. Federal District Court for the District of California, accusing OpenAI of misappropriating trade secrets and breaching a contract. The complaint names current OpenAI Hardware Lead Tang Yew Tan and former Apple senior system electrical engineer Chang Liu. According to The New York Times, OpenAI has leaned toward postponing its IPO to 2027.
Specific allegations against Tang Yew Tan: probing with confidential code names and downloading files with system vulnerabilities
According to Apple’s complaint, the specific allegations against the two former employees are as follows:
Tang Yew Tan (OpenAI Hardware Lead, formerly with Apple for 24 years): While advising on OpenAI’s hiring, he deliberately used Apple internal confidential project code names to probe information, and asked interviewees to bring hardware components on-site for demonstration, in order to extract undisclosed product technology.
Chang Liu (former Apple senior system electrical engineer, with Apple for 8 years): After leaving Apple in 2026 to join OpenAI, he failed to return his work computer; he exploited system vulnerabilities to log into Apple’s internal network, downloaded dozens of confidential files related to core hardware, and shared the information with other interviewees.
An OpenAI spokesperson, Drew Pusateri, responded that the company is “not interested” in the trade secrets of other companies and is currently reviewing the complaint.
OpenAI’s hardware business exposed: July AI keyboard and $6.4–6.5 billion Jony Ive acquisition
According to reports, as the lawsuit came to light, details of OpenAI’s hardware development also surfaced: OpenAI is expected to launch its first hardware product in July 2026—a dedicated keyboard designed for use with its AI tools. In 2025, OpenAI acquired io Products, the startup founded by former Apple chief designer Jony Ive, for $6.4 to $6.5 billion, deepening its hardware strategy.
Apple also noted in its complaint that, during hardware R&D, OpenAI even misled partner companies, causing them to provide Apple-exclusive metal surface treatment technology without authorization.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Apple’s core allegations against OpenAI?
According to the complaint Apple filed with the U.S. Federal District Court for the District of California, the core allegations include: Tang Yew Tan probing information using Apple internal confidential project code names and requiring candidates to demonstrate hardware components to obtain undisclosed technology; Chang Liu using system vulnerabilities at the time of leaving to download dozens of confidential files and share them externally; and OpenAI’s overall pattern constituting systematic theft to accelerate the development of consumer hardware. Apple seeks to bar OpenAI from using the related confidential information and is seeking monetary damages (amount not specified).
How does this lawsuit affect OpenAI’s IPO plans?
According to reports, legal expert Mark Lemley’s analysis indicates that if allegations involving taking and using confidential files are proven, OpenAI would face a legal crisis, introducing new uncertainty to its IPO plans. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has said the company would only move forward with an IPO if the valuation reaches $1 trillion. According to The New York Times, OpenAI has leaned toward postponing the IPO to 2027, possibly due to major stock price swings after SpaceX’s listing. The specific IPO timeline will depend on OpenAI’s official announcements.
What is the current status of cooperation between Apple and OpenAI?
According to reports, Apple and OpenAI reached a high-profile partnership in 2024 to integrate ChatGPT functions into the iPhone operating system. However, as OpenAI moved into hardware, their relationship cooled quickly. Apple has decided that in the redesigned Siri to be released in the fall of 2026, it will switch to using Google’s Gemini AI model to replace the ChatGPT integration.
