Apple has escalated its trade secrets case against OpenAI by requesting emergency forensic oversight of the company's operations, marking a significant escalation in the legal battle. The company submitted nine sworn declarations alongside its motion, arguing that OpenAI's alleged use of stolen hardware secrets causes harm every day. Apple is seeking a preliminary injunction that would force changes before the case concludes, along with court orders that would place OpenAI under forensic supervision, meaning outside investigators could review its internal systems. This represents a rare move in corporate litigation, signaling how seriously Apple treats the alleged theft and urgency of the situation. The filing asks the judge to place OpenAI under forensic supervision, meaning outside investigators could review its internal systems.
Apple has significantly expanded its trade secrets case against OpenAI, revealing that at least 10 additional former employees may be involved in the alleged theft beyond the three defendants already named. In a fresh court filing submitted on Monday, Apple stated it wants access to documents, communications and depositions from OpenAI, former Apple employees Chang Liu and Tang Yew Tan, along with other current OpenAI employees. The company argues this information is necessary to determine the 'nature and extent' of the alleged trade secret misappropriation. According to the latest filing, Apple has identified at least 10 other former Apple employees who may have been involved, apart from Chang Liu, Tang Tan and OpenAI employee Yu-Ting 'Alyssa' Peng, who have already been named in the case.
Apple's investigation has uncovered compelling evidence of systematic trade secret theft through multiple former employees. The company claims that another former Apple employee met with Chang Liu and Ms. Peng in advance of Ms. Peng's interview at OpenAI and discussed Apple proprietary information relating to unannounced products during that meeting. Additionally, Apple alleges that another former employee took screenshots of confidential documents related to an unannounced Apple product before interviewing with OpenAI. The company also reports that multiple former Apple employees currently working at OpenAI contacted Apple after the lawsuit was filed to arrange the return of Apple-issued work devices that they had kept after leaving the company. Apple has also stated additional former employees may have passed along confidential data beyond the three defendants already named.
OpenAI has maintained its robust defense against Apple's allegations, stating in a blogpost that the lawsuit is based on false information and completely unnecessary. The company emphasized that it does not have, nor wants, any of Apple's trade secrets. In its latest response, OpenAI stated 'Apple's request for a preliminary injunction is both based on false information and completely unnecessary because we do not have, nor want, any of their trade secrets'. According to Business Standard, OpenAI published email exchanges involving Apple's lawyers and messages between former Apple engineer Chang Liu and his former colleagues, calling Apple's lawsuit 'careless, aggressive and oddly personal' and stating 'Apple is one of the greatest companies of all time, and built a reputation for obsessing over the smallest details. This careless, aggressive and oddly personal lawsuit sadly doesn't live up to that reputation'. The company has strongly contested Apple's claims, describing the legal action as unnecessary and challenging the iPhone maker's legal basis for the preliminary injunction request.
The dispute marks a dramatic shift from Apple and OpenAI's 2024 partnership at WWDC that brought ChatGPT integration to Apple devices through Apple Intelligence. However, tensions began rising as OpenAI expanded into hardware in May 2025, announcing a partnership with former Apple design chief Jony Ive through his company io Products in a $6.5 billion deal. The relationship further deteriorated when Apple turned to Google for its next AI partnership in January 2026, announcing a multiyear agreement for Google's Gemini models to support Apple Foundation Models. By May-June 2026, reports suggested both companies were reassessing their relationship, with Apple demonstrating new AI capabilities powered by other models. The legal battle officially began on July 10, 2026 when Apple filed its lawsuit, with Apple seeking a preliminary injunction on August 4, 2026, and OpenAI responding with internal communications to counter Apple's allegations. The lawsuit does not target OpenAI alone, as Apple's complaint also names io Products, the hardware startup founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive that OpenAI acquired earlier this year for $6.5 billion.
