Apple seeks injunction to block OpenAI from alleged trade secrets

What happened: Apple has asked a federal judge for a preliminary injunction against OpenAI, seeking to stop it and two former Apple employees from using, accessing or disclosing alleged Apple trade secrets.

The numbers: The filing came Monday 3 August in Apple v. Liu (case 5:26-cv-07078, Northern District of California). Apple sued in July over two ex-staffers: Chang Liu, a former senior system electrical engineer, and Tang Yew Tan, former VP of product design for iPhone and Apple Watch. OpenAI's hardware unit, io Products, is also named.

The details: Apple wants fast-tracked discovery and depositions of Liu, Tan, OpenAI's Yu-Ting Peng, an unnamed ex-Apple employee now at OpenAI, and corporate representatives of both OpenAI and io. Apple says more former employees may have taken confidential material.

The context: Apple offered to drop the injunction request if OpenAI accepted five conditions. OpenAI agreed to three — stop using the material, stop disclosing it, preserve evidence — but refused forensic inspections and a systems search.

In their words: Apple's filing says it "will be irreparably harmed absent a preliminary injunction."

The catch: OpenAI rejects the claims outright, saying the request is "both based on false information and completely unnecessary because we do not have, nor want, any of their trade secrets." It has published messages it says show Apple staff contacted Liu for help after he left the company.

Why it matters: The dispute lands as OpenAI builds its first hardware device, a screenless desk companion from Jony Ive's team, following its $6.5 billion acquisition of io. Apple is trying to keep any inside knowledge of its product design and engineering practices out of a rival's hands before that device ships.

What's next: A hearing on the injunction motion is scheduled for 1 October, with OpenAI's device expected in 2027.

More: 9to5Mac, Fortune