OpenAI has alleged in a court filing that a former employee who returned to Apple took “over a hundred highly confidential files” about at least one unreleased OpenAI device, and then briefed Apple’s senior leadership on OpenAI’s product plans. These are OpenAI’s allegations and have not been proven in court. The filing does not name the employee.
The claims are in a document OpenAI filed on 14 October 2026 in Apple v. Liu (case 5:26-cv-07078-EJD, docket 176), the trade secrets lawsuit Apple brought against OpenAI and others in a California federal court. The Verge said Reuters reported the filing first. Apple has not publicly responded to the allegations so far.
What OpenAI alleges
According to the filing, the employee joined OpenAI from Apple, worked at OpenAI for six months, and has now returned to Apple. OpenAI alleges that he “sent over a hundred highly confidential files about at least one unreleased OpenAI device under development to his personal accounts.”
OpenAI says the files include “detailed images of the unreleased device(s)”, engineering and manufacturing data, supplier information, and “reports regarding coating and sealing of hardware components.” It alleges that some were sent “just after midnight in Singapore on June 2, 2026”, the employee’s last day at OpenAI.
The filing says “it is OpenAI’s understanding that the former employee made a presentation about OpenAI’s product plans to Apple’s senior leadership, including Apple’s vice president of operations in Asia.” OpenAI points to Apple’s new smart home products, announced this week, saying: “now, armed with that information, Apple is making a new push into AI-enabled products.” That is OpenAI’s claim; the filing does not show that Apple used any of the information.
“OpenAI is very concerned that its trade secret and confidential information is now circulating inside Apple,” the filing says. It adds that Apple “has not provided OpenAI with the requested assurances” that it does not have and has not used the information.
What OpenAI is asking for
OpenAI has not sued Apple or filed counterclaims. In this filing, it asks the court to set the case schedule in a way that would let it “investigate the conduct described above and, if necessary, file and pursue counterclaims arising out of that conduct.”
Apple’s lawsuit accuses OpenAI of taking Apple’s trade secrets. On 13 October, the judge gave Apple fast-tracked access to evidence in that case.
What this means
- The tables have turned. OpenAI is now making similar claims against Apple.
- Nothing is proven. These are allegations in a court filing, and Apple’s side is not yet known.
- More legal fights may come. OpenAI may file its own claims later, but has not yet.
Sources
- Defendants’ Supplement to October 1, 2026 Joint Case Management Statement, Apple Inc. v. Liu et al., No. 5:26-cv-07078-EJD (N.D. Cal.), Dkt. 176, filed 14 October 2026. https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28812737-openai-trade-secrets-claim/
- The Verge, “OpenAI claims an ex-employee took its product plans and presented them to Apple”, Emma Roth, 14 October 2026. https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/1011276/openai-employee-unreleased-product-plans
Related stories
- Judge Gives Apple Fast Access to OpenAI Hiring Records in Trade Secrets Suit (the same lawsuit)
- Apple Launches HomeView, HomePod mini 2, a New Apple TV 4K and Apple Home Collection
- OpenAI Engineer Charged Over Hidden Audio Recording Device Found in an Executive Conference Room, DOJ Says (a separate case, not connected to this filing)
