Summary: In August 2026, OpenAI publicly disputed Apple’s trade-secret suit over former employees Chang Liu and Tang Tan, describing a misrouted email and published messages showing Apple colleagues seeking Liu’s help after his departure. The article says its account relies only on OpenAI’s blog and released evidence, and that the ongoing lawsuit remains unresolved.
What Happened: A Lawsuit Built on a Misrouted Email
Apple has sued OpenAI, and in August 2026 OpenAI answered in public with a blog post called “Apple is getting this wrong.” The suit claims that Chang Liu and Tang Tan, two former Apple employees who now work at OpenAI, misappropriated Apple’s trade secrets. OpenAI’s account is different: it argues that the case rests on a chain of misunderstandings, the first of which is an email that reached the wrong person.
OpenAI says Apple’s initial position was that it had approached OpenAI in February and heard nothing back. Apple has since admitted that its outside lawyers confused two Asian last names and emailed the wrong person — the message was meant for OpenAI’s General Counsel, Che Chang. Apple also said it had held a discussion with OpenAI’s General Counsel; it now accepts that no such conversation ever took place.
What matters more, according to OpenAI, is that none of the specific allegations in the complaint had ever come up during that earlier contact. Apple’s outside counsel, Gabriel Gross, told OpenAI only that they were “resolving any issues.” Five months of silence followed before Apple went to court. OpenAI has released the email correspondence so that readers can examine the exchange and judge for themselves.
The “Residual Access” Defense: Who’s Really at Fault?
A central accusation in Apple’s lawsuit is that Chang Liu accessed Apple confidential information after leaving the company. OpenAI responds with iMessage conversations that tell a different story. In them, Apple employees are the ones reaching out to Chang Liu — whose last day at Apple was January 22, 2026 — to ask him for help locating files and information for their work.
The messages show Chang Liu assisting his former colleagues with file transfers, and even reminding them to log out of his iCloud account to avoid mixing personal and company data. For example, on January 27, 2026, he writes: “You can keep my icloud connected if you still need more time. But might want to sign off my iMessage. As there might be my new company stuff showing up in that laptop.”
OpenAI’s argument is that this “residual access” is really a systemic issue at Apple: the company fails to properly revoke system access when employees leave. So former employees — including those trying to do the right thing — can still reach Apple files, even though they neither want them nor are aware of them. In this case, the evidence shows Chang Liu actively helping Apple’s employees rather than stealing secrets.
What This Means for Product Builders: Offboarding Done Right
Anyone building products or managing teams can read this case as a cautionary tale about offboarding processes. When an employee leaves, access revocation must be immediate and comprehensive. Apple’s failure to do so created a situation in which a former employee could be accused of accessing confidential information, even while acting in good faith.
Here are practical steps to avoid similar pitfalls:
- Automate access revocation: Use identity and access management (IAM) tools to automatically disable accounts and revoke permissions on the employee’s last day. Don’t rely on manual processes that can be forgotten.
- Audit residual access: Regularly audit system access for former employees. If you find lingering access, investigate and fix it promptly.
- Document offboarding procedures: Have a clear checklist for offboarding, including revoking access to email, cloud storage, code repositories, and internal tools.
- Communicate with departing employees: Ensure they understand what access they have and what they should do to help with the transition, such as transferring files or logging out of accounts.
Put these measures in place, and you reduce the risk of misunderstandings turning into legal disputes.
The Human Element: Trust and Communication
Beyond technical processes, this case highlights the importance of trust and communication. OpenAI emphasizes that Tang Tan, who served Apple for over 24 years, was always clear with his team that they must not use any confidential information from other companies. That is a reminder that clear communication about confidentiality obligations is essential when hiring senior talent.
OpenAI also notes that it offered to work with Apple to resolve the issues before the lawsuit, and Apple chose to litigate instead. A more collaborative approach might have kept the dispute from arising. For product teams, this is a lesson in conflict resolution: when issues arise, consider reaching out to the other party to clarify misunderstandings before escalating to legal action.
Limitations and Unresolved Questions
One caveat worth stating plainly: this article rests solely on OpenAI’s blog post and the evidence OpenAI chose to publish. Apple’s full response and any additional evidence have not been considered. The lawsuit is ongoing, and the court will ultimately decide the merits of the case.
Some questions remain unanswered. Why did Apple wait five months after the initial contact to file the lawsuit? What specific allegations were made, and are they supported by evidence? OpenAI’s public disclosure of emails and messages is a strategic move, but it doesn’t provide the complete picture.
The point for product builders is not to jump to conclusions but to learn from the systemic issues the case highlights. It underscores how much robust offboarding procedures and transparent communication matter in the tech industry.
A Concrete Takeaway for Your Team
The most actionable lesson from this dispute is to treat offboarding as a critical security event. Implement automated access revocation, conduct regular audits, and maintain open lines of communication with departing employees. Doing so protects your company’s intellectual property while also respecting the rights of former employees.
Talent moves frequently in this industry, and clear processes plus honest communication will take you further than legal battles. As OpenAI puts it, they are “much more interested in building innovative products and technologies that push the frontier.” That sentiment is worth sharing.