Apple seeks injunction against OpenAI, names 11 more ex-employees in trade secrets case

Apple's latest filing marks a significant escalation in its intellectual property dispute with OpenAI. The original complaint focused on two named employees—Chang Liu and Tang Yew Tan—but the new motion reveals that investigation has uncovered a broader pattern of potential misconduct involving 11 additional former Apple employees. This expansion suggests Apple believes the trade secrets transfer was not isolated to a handful of individuals but part of a more systemic issue involving multiple departing staff members.

The specific allegations paint a detailed picture of alleged coordination: an employee discussed confidential unannounced product information in advance of a job interview, another captured internal documents, and multiple former employees have now contacted Apple to return company devices. These details indicate Apple views the misconduct as deliberate and coordinated rather than accidental or incidental. By requesting expedited discovery, Apple is pushing the court to move quickly and comprehensively to identify all parties involved.

OpenAI's public response denies the core allegation—that it possesses or wants Apple's trade secrets—and highlights procedural missteps in Apple's investigation (a misdirected email, confusion about communications with its general counsel). The company frames itself as focused on innovation rather than appropriating competitors' intellectual property. The dispute now hinges on whether the court believes Apple's expanded evidence warrants expedited proceedings and a preliminary injunction, or whether OpenAI's procedural critiques and categorical denials are sufficient to proceed under normal discovery timelines.