Apple filed a motion for a preliminary injunction against OpenAI on August 4, 2026, escalating its trade secrets lawsuit over the ChatGPT maker's hardware ambitions. The filing targets former Apple engineer Chang Liu and former design executive Tang Tan, who spent 24 years at Apple before co-founding io Products with Jony Ive; that startup merged with OpenAI in 2025.
Apple's court filing alleges OpenAI directed job candidates to bring Apple prototypes and CAD designs for "show and tell" sessions, and induced a supplier to perform a proprietary Apple metal-finishing process. Apple says more than 400 former employees now work at OpenAI and warns it "will be irreparably harmed absent a preliminary injunction." A hearing is set for October 1, 2026.
OpenAI called the lawsuit "careless, aggressive and oddly personal" and said Tan has always been clear the team does not want or use Apple's confidential information. The case centers on OpenAI's first hardware device, reportedly designed as an Apple-like smart speaker.