OpenAI accuses ex-employee of moving 100+ files tied to unreleased product

OpenAI has opened a new front in its legal war with Apple. The AI company now alleges that a former employee took files about an unreleased OpenAI product and presented details of that device to Apple’s senior leadership.

What OpenAI is alleging

On October 14, 2026, OpenAI filed new allegations in the ongoing trade-secrets lawsuit. The filing centers on a former OpenAI employee who now works at Apple.

According to OpenAI, that person moved over 100 files tied to an unreleased OpenAI product into a personal account. OpenAI says the ex-employee then allegedly shared details about the unannounced device with Apple’s senior leadership.

These remain allegations, and they have not been tested in court.

How the fight started

Apple filed a lawsuit in July 2026 in the US District Court in San Jose accusing OpenAI of systematically soliciting confidential hardware information from former Apple engineers.

The complaint names several defendants. Those include OpenAI, its hardware unit io Products, Tang Yew Tan, and former Apple engineer Chang Liu.

Apple’s case describes what it characterizes as a pattern of taking proprietary material. The data allegedly at issue includes hardware files, engineering presentations, and supplier information.

Some of the claims are vivid. Apple’s complaint outlines alleged misconduct that includes job candidates bringing proprietary parts to interviews.

Chang Liu sits at the center of Apple’s core accusation. Apple alleges that after leaving the company in January 2026, Liu exploited an authentication bug to download confidential files.

OpenAI denies any wrongdoing. The company has framed Apple’s claims as the product of Apple’s own mismanagement, casting the dispute as a symptom of a chaotic corporate environment rather than a coordinated scheme.

The io Products backdrop

In 2025, OpenAI acquired io Products for approximately $6.5 billion. io Products was founded by Jony Ive, Apple’s former design chief.

The company has reportedly hired over 400 former Apple employees across various projects. Tang Yew Tan leads a group that includes multiple ex-Apple engineers working on OpenAI’s hardware efforts. That concentration of former Apple staff is a key reason Apple’s lawsuit names him directly.

OpenAI’s first consumer device, an AI companion product, is expected to be unveiled in late 2026 or 2027, aimed at competing with leading consumer hardware.

What this means for both companies

OpenAI’s new filing changes the shape of the case. Until now, OpenAI was mostly on defense, responding to claims that it benefited from Apple’s confidential data. Now it is arguing that the information leakage also flowed toward Apple.

For Apple, the allegation is awkward. A company that has built its brand on secrecy and tight control over unreleased products now faces a claim that its own leadership received a briefing on a competitor’s unannounced device.

For OpenAI, the stakes are tied to its hardware timeline. A device expected in late 2026 or 2027 is a major bet, especially after spending approximately $6.5 billion to acquire io Products.