Apple says more ex-employees may be tied to OpenAI trade secrets case

Apple is asking for a preliminary injunction in its trade secrets case against OpenAI, aiming to stop the AI model maker from moving forward with an AI device or other products allegedly based on Apple technology. The company is also requesting expedited discovery from accused OpenAI employees Chang Liu and Tang Yew Tan, OpenAI and its foundation, and io, the device startup co-founded by Jony Ive.

Apple says its continued investigation has identified 11 other former Apple employees beyond Liu and Tan who may have been witnesses or otherwise involved. The filing claims one former employee discussed Apple proprietary information relating to unannounced products before an OpenAI interview, while another took screenshots of confidential Apple documents before an interview. Apple also says multiple former Apple employees now at OpenAI contacted the company after the complaint about returning Apple-issued work devices they had kept.

OpenAI publicly responded that Apple’s request for a preliminary injunction is based on false information and is unnecessary because it says it does not have or want Apple trade secrets. OpenAI said it is focused on building products and technologies that push the frontier. The company also pointed to earlier reported mistakes by Apple and alleged that “residual access” for former employees resulted from Apple’s own security procedures.

The immediate legal focus is whether the court allows expedited discovery and how it handles Apple’s pending preliminary injunction motion. If discovery proceeds quickly, it could clarify how far Apple’s claims extend beyond the employees named in the original complaint. For readers tracking AI hardware and talent movement, the case highlights how aggressively companies may police confidential information as employees move between major AI players.