‘LOL I found out I have access to…’: Apple points to ex-employer’s report in lawsuit against OpenAI | Today’s news
Apple has filed a federal lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing the artificial intelligence company of improperly obtaining confidential trade secrets as it builds its own AI hardware business, Bloomberg reported.
The complaint, filed in federal court in San Jose, centers on allegations that former Apple employees retained access to sensitive company information after they left, and that OpenAI used recruiting efforts to obtain details about Apple’s unreleased technologies and products.
One of the key allegations concerns former Apple engineer Chang Liu. According to the lawsuit, Liu discovered that after connecting to OpenAI, he still had access to Apple’s internal file servers. Apple says it didn’t report the problem and instead joked about it in a message to a former colleague.
According to court filings, Liu allegedly wrote to former Apple employee Alyssa Peng: “LOL I found out I have access to (network storage) it’s funny.”
Apple claims that the confidential files were accessed after the employment ended
Apple says Liu left the company with more than just his professional experience. The suit alleges that he never returned an Apple-issued MacBook, remained in contact with an Apple employee who continued to share internal information, and exploited a software bug that allowed him to access Apple’s internal storage systems after his employment ended.
According to Bloomberg, Apple claims that Liu downloaded confidential presentations, hardware designs, manufacturing information and test procedures while he was already working at OpenAI.
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The complaint further alleges that Peng responded to Liu’s message by saying, “I’m ready.”
Apple says Peng later obtained additional inside information using her Apple laptop before resigning in April to join OpenAI’s hardware division.
Apple accuses OpenAI of targeting trade secrets through recruitment
Apple says the company has made a broader effort to obtain its trade secrets while developing its own consumer hardware products.
“Substantial evidence has emerged indicating that individuals employed by OpenAI have improperly taken Apple’s secret and confidential information regarding our unreleased technologies, processes and products,” Apple said in a statement to AFP. “We will always champion the hard work and innovation of our teams and are taking all appropriate steps to do so.”
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According to the lawsuit, the effort went beyond standard recruiting. Apple claims that job interviews were sometimes used to obtain information about future Apple products and confidential internal projects.
In response to an AFP request for comment on Friday, an OpenAI spokesperson said: “We have no interest in other companies’ trade secrets. We remain focused on building innovative technology that empowers people everywhere.”
Former Apple executive Tang Tan was also named in the complaint
The lawsuit names OpenAI, its hardware arm io Products, and two former Apple employees: Tang Yew Tan, now OpenAI’s hardware director, and engineer Chang Liu.
Apple says Tang Tan, who spent around 25 years at the company overseeing the development of products including the iPhone and Apple Watch, played a significant role in recruiting Apple engineers after he leaves at the end of 2023.
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After his departure, Tan joined former Apple design chief Jony Ive, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Evans Hankey and Scott Cannon in launching hardware startup io Products AI. OpenAI later acquired the company in a deal reportedly worth $6.5 billion.
According to the complaint, Tan questioned potential employees about unreleased Apple projects during interviews and encouraged them to disclose internal information.
The lawsuit states, “Then in the conversation, Tan demanded more information about the same Apple project. This became an established pattern.”
Partnership between Apple and OpenAI under new tension
The legal action marks a sharp escalation of tensions between Apple and OpenAI, which teamed up in 2024 to integrate ChatGPT into Apple products.
Since then, this relationship has weakened. In May, Bloomberg reported that OpenAI was considering legal action against Apple, claiming that the company had failed to promote the ChatGPT integration enough.
In its 41-page complaint, Apple said: “At all levels, from members of the technical staff to the chief hardware officer, and in coordination with business partners, OpenAI is stealing Apple’s trade secrets and confidential information.”
