OpenAI Alleges Ex-Employee Took Over 100 Files on Unreleased Device to Apple

OpenAI has obtained evidence indicating that a former employee took more than 100 confidential files concerning an unreleased device and brought them to Apple, according to a court filing. The artificial intelligence company stated that this alleged theft was uncovered during a recent forensic investigation related to the ongoing trade secret lawsuit between OpenAI and Apple.

Apple initially sued OpenAI and two former employees in July, accusing them of misappropriating dozens of the company's confidential hardware-related files. In its recent filing, OpenAI detailed that the unnamed ex-employee transferred "over a hundred highly confidential files about at least one unreleased OpenAI device under development to his personal accounts." These files reportedly contained "detailed images" and "highly confidential engineering and manufacturing data."

According to the filing, some of these files were sent shortly after midnight on June 2, 2026, which was the former employee's last day at OpenAI. OpenAI also understands that this former employee presented information about OpenAI's product plans to senior leadership at Apple, including a vice president of operations in Asia. The employee in question had previously worked at Apple before joining OpenAI for a six-month period, and then returned to Apple.

OpenAI contends that the allegedly stolen documents have aided Apple in its "new push into AI-enabled products," citing the recent launch of the "Apple Home" line of smart home accessories. The company expressed significant concern that its trade secrets and confidential information are now within Apple, potentially influencing the development of Apple's upcoming products.

OpenAI stated that it has approached Apple regarding the incident but has not yet received assurances that Apple is not possessing or utilizing the documents. An Apple spokesperson commented that the company has stringent policies to prevent new employees from misusing confidential information from previous employers and indicated that Apple has found no evidence to support OpenAI's claims.

This allegation surfaced on the same day as a key hearing in the case, where a U.S. District Judge indicated a likelihood of granting Apple's request for an injunction against the use of its proprietary information by former Apple employees now at OpenAI. However, the judge also described Apple's request for a forensic inspection of all OpenAI devices and code repositories as a "huge ask."

Apple's lawsuit identified Chang Liu, a former senior system electrical engineer, and Tang Yew Tan, a former VP of product design, as the employees accused of taking intellectual property. The suit alleges Liu improperly accessed confidential files after his departure and that Tan used Apple's confidential information to benefit OpenAI, including emailing himself supplier information before leaving.