Apple accuses OpenAI of stealing its core tech secrets

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Apple accuses OpenAI of stealing its core tech secrets

Lawsuit alleges job-swappers took secrets with them, helped by coaching on how to avoid scrutiny

Simon Sharwood

Simon<br>Sharwood

APAC Editor

Published<br>mon 13 Jul 2026 // 08:31 UTC

Apple has filed a lawsuit against former employees who now work at OpenAI, and the AI upstart itself, alleging theft of intellectual property.<br>Cupertino’s complaint [PDF] opens with an accusation that a former employee joined OpenAI after eight years at Apple, and on his way out dodged an exit interview and didn’t return his work laptop. The filing alleges that once he “exploited a rare, previously unknown authentication bug to access Apple’s shared network folders” – but didn’t report the bug, return the laptop, or delete the program that allowed the access.<br>Apple alleges its former staffer then “surreptitiously accessed and downloaded dozens of Apple’s confidential hardware-related files, including voluminous, detailed information about unreleased products, engineering presentations, technical specifications, and proprietary project data.” The company claims the man then used that info to help OpenAI.

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Another staffer who jumped from Apple to OpenAI allegedly emailed himself supply chain information, and once working for the AI company was present in interviews that tried to lure other employees of the iGiant. In those chat, the filing alleges, the former Apple staffer asked candidates who still worked for Cupertino for updates on secret internal projects – and even used code names.

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“He has directed job candidates still working for Apple to bring ‘Actual parts’ from Apple to their interviews for ‘show and tell’sessions in which he and his team at OpenAI can elicit still more Apple confidential information,” the filing alleges. “These directions to bring Apple’s parts to OpenAI job interviews surprised at least one of the candidates, who commented that he ‘didn’t even know we could take those from the office’.”<br>Apple also alleges that OpenAI coached those bailing from Cupertino on how to hide their intentions, so they can prolong their stay at Cupertino and therefore access more useful info.<br>“The Corporate Defendants, with or through their employees or partners, have been acting in concert and as an enterprise, exploiting Apple’s confidential information to advance OpenAI’s efforts to enter the consumer hardware market,” Apple alleges. “They have used confidential Apple information in approaching Apple’s trusted partners, even having one carry out a specific trade secret metal-finishing technique for OpenAI, misleading the partner to believe they had Apple’s permission to do so.”

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The filing says the above represents “the tip of the iceberg” and alleges that plumbing the depths of OpenAI’s attempt to build a hardware business would likely find more abuse of Apple’s IP.<br>The filing suggests Apple was able to gather digital evidence from the two employees named in the suit, an important allegation because trade secrets cases can be hard to prosecute as it’s hard to prove whether a former staffer shared information stored in their wetware. Apple can presumably present witnesses to some of the other allegations.<br>“Apple does not bring this action lightly,” the filing states. “Apple operates in the most competitive markets in the world and focuses on creating and shipping the very best products and services that embody its innovations.”<br>“But it cannot tolerate the theft of its trade secrets. In light of the troubling evidence it has seen so far, Apple is left with no choice. This lawsuit and the discovery process are needed to expose and begin to remedy the pervasive theft of Apple’s trade secrets.”<br>OpenAI’s communications boss Drew Pusateri used his X account to deny Apple’s allegations. “We have no interest in other companies' trade secrets. We remain focused on building innovative technology that empowers people everywhere,” he wrote.

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The upstart’s ambition to create a consumer tech business carries enormous risk, as any vendor requires enormous resources to manufacture, market and support AI gadgetry. Even Google has struggled to win more than a few percent of the smartphone market, while Meta’s long effort to create virtual reality eyewear has not resulted in huge sales.<br>Both of those tech giants are massively profitable. OpenAI makes massive losses and will likely do so for the foreseeable future, largely due to the huge sums required to build AI infrastructure with uncertain ROI. ®

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