What happened
OpenAI published a blog post titled "Apple is getting this wrong" that includes iMessage and email exchanges to rebut Apple's allegations that former employees Chang Liu and Tang Tan stole trade secrets. The post challenges Apple's claims that Liu accessed confidential files after leaving and that Tan solicited confidential information during job interviews.
Why it matters
Apple filed a lawsuit last month accusing Liu (a former iPhone engineer now on OpenAI's technical team) and Tan (who oversaw iPhone and Apple Watch design before becoming OpenAI's chief hardware officer) of taking confidential information about unreleased technologies. OpenAI's public response—sharing cherry-picked communications rather than filing a formal legal response—signals it is fighting the case in the court of public opinion rather than strictly through the courts. Apple has also sought a preliminary injunction to prevent Liu, Tan, and OpenAI from accessing or disclosing the alleged confidential information.
What to watch
OpenAI denies possessing or wanting Apple's trade secrets, stating it is "much more interested in building innovative products and technologies that push the frontier." The company also claims that Apple's outside lawyers initially sent inquiries to the wrong person and failed to properly discuss the matter with OpenAI's General Counsel, undermining Apple's allegation that OpenAI did not respond to initial contact.
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Apple's lawsuit, filed last month, centers on two high-profile hires: Liu, an iPhone engineer, and Tan, a 25-year Apple veteran who managed design for flagship products. Apple claims both individuals took proprietary information about unreleased technologies to advance OpenAI's hardware initiatives. The allegations include specific conduct: Liu's alleged unauthorized access to Apple systems after departure, and Tan's purported solicitation of confidential details during recruitment conversations. Apple has moved quickly to seek a preliminary injunction, treating the matter as urgent enough to warrant court intervention before trial.
OpenAI's response strategy—a public blog post with attached communications rather than a confidential legal filing—represents an unusual escalation. By publishing iMessages and email chains, OpenAI aims to undermine Apple's credibility on specific claims: that Liu accessed files improperly (OpenAI argues residual access is an Apple security failure, not Liu's fault), that Tan solicited secrets (OpenAI says Tan was explicit about not wanting confidential information), and that OpenAI ignored Apple's inquiries (OpenAI notes Apple's lawyers emailed the wrong person initially). This public positioning shifts the narrative from a technical trade-secret dispute to a question of whose account of events is more truthful, inviting media scrutiny and public judgment alongside any court proceeding.
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