Apple Sues OpenAI on July 9, Alleging $6.4B Acquisition Involved Trade Secret Theft

According to CNBC, on Friday (July 9), Apple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in federal court in Northern California, alleging the AI company systematically stole Apple trade secrets and confidential information related to iPhone hardware and technology. Apple claimed the theft occurred "at every level," involving OpenAI's Chief Hardware Officer Tang Tan, a former Apple vice president, and other current and former Apple employees who joined OpenAI.

Apple alleged that Tang Tan directed job candidates still employed by Apple to bring confidential parts to interviews for "show and tell" sessions, and that OpenAI coached departing employees to evade security protocols. The lawsuit follows OpenAI's 2025 acquisition of designer Jony Ive's startup IO Products for $6.4 billion, marking a significant deterioration in relations between the two companies that partnered in 2024 when ChatGPT was integrated into iPhones.