Apple alleges more ex-employees took trade secrets to OpenAI

Apple escalated its legal fight with OpenAI on August 4, 2026, by filing a request for a preliminary injunction to halt the AI company from developing products based on Apple’s technology. The iPhone maker also claimed that more former employees may have taken confidential data to OpenAI.

Apple is seeking expedited discovery from OpenAI, its foundation, the startup io co-founded by Jony Ive, and two accused former Apple employees: senior systems engineer Chang Liu and Chief Hardware Officer Tang Yew Tan. The company’s investigation has identified 11 other former employees beyond Liu and Tan who may be witnesses or involved, along with OpenAI employee Yu-Ting Peng, who was named in the original complaint.

The filing marks an escalation because Apple says it has new evidence of broader misconduct. According to the filing, one former employee met with Liu and Peng before Peng’s OpenAI interview and discussed Apple proprietary information about unannounced products. Another former employee took screenshots of confidential Apple documents before an OpenAI interview.

Apple claims that after it filed its complaint, multiple former employees now at OpenAI reached out to discuss returning Apple-issued work devices they kept when they left. The company is pushing for expedited discovery because it believes there is good cause to suspect others were involved in the theft of its intellectual property, and its motion for a preliminary injunction remains pending.

OpenAI responded publicly in a blog post, calling Apple’s request “both based on false information and completely unnecessary because we do not have, nor want, any of their trade secrets.” OpenAI also pointed to earlier reported mistakes by Apple, including emailing the wrong person due to similar surnames, and alleged that Apple lied about discussing matters with its general counsel and did not admit that residual access for former employees resulted from poor security procedures on Apple’s part.

The preliminary injunction aims to stop OpenAI from moving forward with an AI device or other products based on Apple’s technology, as the legal battle intensifies.