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Apple Sends Legal Letters to 40 Ex-Employees at OpenAI
Apple says OpenAI recruited former staff to copy unreleased hardware designs and supply chain details, as more than 400 ex-Apple employees now work there.
- On Friday, July 10, 2026, Apple Inc. filed a federal trade-secrets lawsuit against OpenAI, io Products, and two former engineers, alleging a "coordinated pattern of misconduct" involving theft of unreleased hardware designs and supplier information.
- Tensions escalated after OpenAI acquired io Products for $6.5 billion in 2025 and hired more than 400 former Apple employees, moves Apple characterizes as a systematic effort to harvest proprietary intellectual property for OpenAI's nascent hardware business.
- The complaint names former engineer Chang Liu and OpenAI Chief Hardware Officer Tang Tan, alleging exploited network authentication bugs, retention of company laptops, and directing candidates to bring hardware to "show and tell" interview sessions.
- Seeking immediate injunctions and damages, Apple aims to halt the alleged conduct, while OpenAI denies wrongdoing, stating it has "no interest in other companies' trade secrets" and remains focused on building innovative technology.
- The lawsuit could disrupt OpenAI's hardware roadmap and complicate its anticipated IPO, as Apple aggressively pursues evidence from roughly 40 former staff members now working for the AI startup, per Financial Times reporting.
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Apple accuses OpenAI of recruiting hundreds of its former employees to appropriate its industrial secrets and accelerate its offensive in connected devices. A complaint that opens a new front between two previously partner groups.
·Paris, France
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources91
Leaning Left13Leaning Right11Center40Last UpdatedBias Distribution63% Center
Bias Distribution
- 63% of the sources are Center
63% Center
L 20%
C 63%
R 17%
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