In what will probably be a blockbuster swimsuit, Apple is suing OpenAI, alleging that two ex-employees, one in all whom was Apple’s earlier Vice President of Product Design for iPhone and Apple Watch, maintained an ongoing and profitable effort in stealing mental property to counterpoint OpenAI’s growth efforts.
Within the swimsuit, filed on Friday, Apple goes into some element about what two named defendants, Chang Liu and former Vice President of Product Design for iPhone and Apple Watch Tang Yew Tan have accomplished to attract the corporate’s ire. Particularly, the swimsuit claims that for months after leaving Apple, they stole and used Apple mental property to advance OpenAI’s objectives.
And, OpenAI did not do something about it, nor did they reply to Apple asking questions concerning the hires, the information, and what was being accomplished with it.
Reportedly, Liu didn’t return Apple-issued {hardware}, that was nonetheless authenticated to entry Apple’s networks. Apple alleges that Liu advised a colleague, Yu-Ting “Alyssa” Peng, nonetheless at Apple, that he was planning to entry Apple info.
And in doing so, Liu exploited an authentication bug to entry Apple’s shared community folders. He then bragged to his colleague that it was “so humorous” that this bug existed.
Peng departed Apple in April, after mentioning to Liu that they need to talk over a unique safe platform. Particularly, the pair used Line Messenger.
In the end, Peng was employed by OpenAI in April 2026. She isn’t being sued in the intervening time.
The submitting goes on to say that over weeks whereas growing {hardware} for OpenAI, Liu downloaded what the submitting calls “dozens” of information. Particularly:
- Details about unreleased merchandise
- Engineering displays
- Technical specs, particularly about multi-layer motherboards
- Proprietary venture knowledge.
Ex-Apple VP allegedly concerned within the scheme as nicely
Apple’s inner investigations came upon that Tan was doing the identical after departing Apple, following a 24-year profession.
The swimsuit alleges that within the months earlier than Tan left Apple to function OpenAI’s Chief {Hardware} Officer, he started emailing himself details about Apple suppliers. He additionally allegedly directed candidates to deliver unreleased {hardware} parts from Apple to their interviews with OpenAI to spill extra info that is extra present than what Tan equipped himself.
Particularly, parts that Tan needed dropped at interviews included batteries, shields, housings and again glass parts in a number of colours, and extra.
In these interviews, OpenAI is alleged to instruct new hires on learn how to keep away from scrutiny when leaving Apple. Particularly, Tan has warned potential hires to not inform Apple that they’re headed to OpenAI, and keep at Apple so long as they will earlier than onboarding.
Apple says this, as a result of they are saying that Tan has despatched messages to Apple-issued work gadgets, and shared a stolen procedural doc, detailing Apple’s safety insurance policies.
Suppliers offering providers for Apple had been fooled by Tan. The swimsuit alleges that metallic ending strategies had been exfiltrated from Apple, and supplied to an unnamed manufacturing accomplice.
Throughout investigation, Apple stated that it reached out to OpenAI to debate what precautions the AI agency was taking to fight the leak and use of knowledge. OpenAI reportedly didn’t reply to the inquiry.
Evaluation of Apple-issued {hardware} following worker departures additionally revealed that OpenAI hires took lively actions to evade safety. Specifics listed by the swimsuit embody failing to offer satisfactory discover, and failure to schedule exit processes and safety critiques.
Apple’s attorneys say that departing worker actions “might assist to hide the misuse and misappropriation of confidential info.
Whereas the swimsuit claims that Apple “lacks visibility” on what is going on on, the allegations are detailed. Clearly, Apple is on the lookout for discovery to additional emphasize their factors, and see how far the difficulty goes.
“Solely OpenAI and Mr. Liu know all of the methods they’ve been exploiting the trove of Apple confidential info he stole, and to the extent they haven’t hid or destroyed the proof of those misappropriations, it will likely be investigated totally in discovery.”
Apple believes that that is all a part of a concerted effort to take and use confidential info. The swimsuit submitting makes use of language we have seen earlier than in different comparable fits, discussing how, when, and why Apple is broken by these thefts.
An Apple spokesperson went on the file concerning the swimsuit.
“At Apple, our groups are continually growing breakthrough applied sciences to create the perfect services and products on this planet, and defending their work and mental property is one thing we take very significantly. Not too long ago, vital proof has emerged suggesting people employed by OpenAI wrongfully took Apple’s secret and confidential info concerning our unreleased applied sciences, processes, and merchandise. We’ll at all times defend our groups’ arduous work and improvements, and we’re taking all applicable steps to take action.”
Apple is clearly searching for judgement, an injunction towards use and possession of Apple mental property, a requirement of a return of Apple’s property, damages, and royalties to be used of Apple’s mental property.
The swimsuit was filed within the US District Courtroom, San Jose Division.
