OpenAI has publicly challenged Apple’s trade secrets lawsuit by releasing emails, text messages, and a point-by-point rebuttal that accuses the iPhone maker of filing a complaint with factual mistakes.
In a blog post published Monday, OpenAI said Apple confused two employees with similar names, falsely claimed that OpenAI ignored its outreach, and incorrectly asserted that Apple’s outside counsel had spoken with OpenAI General Counsel Che Chang before suing the company.
Apple’s July lawsuit targets OpenAI, former Apple staff, and io Products
The document release follows Apple’s lawsuit filed in July against OpenAI, former Apple engineer Chang Liu, former Apple design executive Tang Tan, and io Products. Apple alleges that the defendants misappropriated hardware trade secrets as OpenAI expanded its consumer hardware efforts after acquiring Jony Ive’s startup in 2025.
OpenAI quoted Apple’s reputation for precision in its response, writing, “Apple is one of the greatest companies of all time, and built a reputation for obsessing over the smallest details.” It then added: “This careless, aggressive and oddly personal lawsuit sadly doesn’t live up to that reputation.”
OpenAI disputes Apple’s factual claims
Apple’s complaint accuses Chang Liu of keeping a company laptop after leaving Apple, exploiting an authentication bug to access Apple’s internal systems, and downloading confidential engineering documents. The lawsuit also claims Tang Tan used confidential Apple information to benefit OpenAI’s hardware efforts and says OpenAI’s recruiting process encouraged prospective hires to bring sensitive Apple materials.
OpenAI disputes those allegations. The company says Apple contacted the wrong person after mixing up two employees with similar surnames. It also says Apple incorrectly stated that its lawyers had spoken with Che Chang before filing the case.
Text messages form part of OpenAI’s defense
To support its position, OpenAI published iMessage exchanges involving Liu after he left Apple in January. According to OpenAI, the messages show Apple employees asking Liu for help locating files, transferring documents, and answering technical questions.
OpenAI says those exchanges cut against Apple’s claim that Liu improperly retained access to confidential information. The company argues the messages show Apple employees relied on Liu’s access, and that any lingering access resulted from Apple’s own offboarding process rather than deliberate misconduct.
OpenAI says injunction request is unnecessary
On Tang Tan, OpenAI said the former Apple executive was repeatedly instructed not to bring or use confidential information from his previous employer. It also argued that Apple’s request for a preliminary injunction is unnecessary. According to OpenAI, such relief could restrict the company’s activities while the case moves forward.
“Apple’s request for a preliminary injunction is both based on false information and completely unnecessary because we do not have, nor want, any of their trade secrets,” OpenAI wrote. “We’re much more interested in building innovative products and technologies that push the frontier.”