Apple has reportedly sent legal letters to former staffers now working at OpenAI, warning them against deleting data that could be used in the brewing legal battle over OpenAI's alleged theft of company secrets.
Apple filed a lawsuit in early July, 2026, arguing that OpenAI received trade secrets from its former employees. Former executives Tang Tan and Chang Liu were also named in the lawsuit.
Now, The Financial Times reports that Apple has sent letters to approximately 40 former employees. The legal communications require the preservation of all relevant documentation, ensuring that it can be called upon when required.
A bigger problem than first thought
Apple appears convinced that OpenAI's use of trade secrets relates to more than just Tan and Liu. Tan is currently serving as OpenAI's Chief Hardware Officer, while Liu works on the company's hardware team.
While OpenAI has denied allegations, the lawsuit makes it clear that Apple disagrees. Apple's use of the reported legal letters suggests it believes the evidence it has to date is just the "tip of the iceberg," as it claimed in its lawsuit.
The allegations by Apple are damning. The company alleges that Tan encouraged interviewees from Apple to bring parts to the meeting. There was also a back-and-forth discussion between Tan and another employee still at Apple about Tan still having access to Apple internal networks with a device that he did not return on the way out of the company.
In the filing, Apple mentions that it is concerned about data that the company and the named co-defendants have already deleted. There are over 400 ex-Apple employees presently working at OpenAI.
OpenAI is currently working on a smart device that is thought to be similar to an Apple HomePod. The device will be powered by the company's ChatGPT AI chatbot.
