OpenAI Counters Apple Trade Secrets Lawsuit With Public Messaging Campaign

OpenAI has escalated its dispute with Apple by publishing internal correspondence designed to undermine the technology giant’s allegations of trade-secret misappropriation. According to The Verge AI, OpenAI released a blog statement titled “Apple is getting this wrong,” where the ChatGPT-maker shared message and email records to contest claims that two departing employees transferred confidential data to advance its hardware division.

The Core Allegations

Apple’s lawsuit, filed last month, centers on Chang Liu and Tang Tan, both now employed at OpenAI. Liu previously worked as an iPhone engineer; Tan held a 25-year tenure at Apple, managing hardware design for the iPhone and Apple Watch before transitioning to OpenAI’s chief hardware officer position. According to The Verge AI, Apple contends the pair removed “secret and confidential information regarding unreleased technologies, processes, and products” to support OpenAI’s hardware initiatives.

The legal complaint includes specific accusations: Liu allegedly failed to surrender a company-owned device and exploited a network vulnerability to retrieve files from Apple’s centralized storage system weeks after his departure. The lawsuit further alleges Liu downloaded restricted documents and coached a colleague on circumventing Apple’s security monitoring before her transition to OpenAI. Apple also claims Tan requested proprietary details during recruitment interviews and encouraged candidates to demonstrate Apple-developed components.

Additionally, Reuters reports that Apple filed for a preliminary injunction to prohibit Liu, Tan, and OpenAI from accessing, acquiring, or using alleged confidential materials pending resolution of the case.

OpenAI’s Public Rebuttal

Rather than filing a formal legal response, OpenAI opted for a direct public messaging effort. The company characterized Apple’s claims as “careless, aggressive, and oddly personal,” according to The Verge AI. OpenAI stated that “we do not have, nor want, any of their trade secrets” and emphasized that innovation drives its focus.

On the core factual disputes: OpenAI acknowledged that Liu retained unintentional access to Apple systems after departure—what the company describes as a systemic failing at Apple. The statement argues this stems from Apple’s deficient protocols for revoking permissions when staff members exit, rather than deliberate misconduct. OpenAI suggested that employees attempting to comply with departure procedures inadvertently retain access to files they neither requested nor recognized.

Regarding Tan’s alleged solicitation of proprietary information, OpenAI contended that requesting candidates discuss their prior work experience is standard recruitment practice and does not constitute intellectual-property theft.

Why This Matters

This dispute signals a widening friction between two major technology ecosystems. For OpenAI, the stakes involve defending its hardware ambitions against claims that could trigger injunctive relief or damages. For Apple, the litigation reflects concerns about talent mobility and competitive disadvantage in the emerging AI-hardware intersection. By publicizing its defense rather than confining arguments to legal filings, OpenAI is attempting to shape narrative perception among technologists, investors, and regulators—a tactic that may prove double-edged if courts view public statements as acknowledgments of disputed facts. The preliminary injunction decision will signal how seriously the judiciary views Apple’s allegations and whether hardware-sector talent restrictions may become a template for defending trade secrets in AI development.