In Apple’s trade-secret lawsuit against OpenAI, OpenAI disclosed text messages and emails exchanged between current and former Apple employees, taking a direct approach to the case.

On Aug. 4 (local time), foreign media including TechRadar reported that the released material focuses less on Apple’s claim of organised theft of confidential information and more on circumstances that appear closer to private exchanges aimed at checking a former employee’s expertise.

At the heart of the lawsuit is whether Apple internal technical information was shared after Apple staff moved to OpenAI. Apple said former employees, including a 25-year veteran and a person who worked as an iPhone electrical engineer for 10 years, retained system access rights and internal knowledge. The Financial Times reported that Tang Tan (탕 탄), OpenAI’s chief hardware officer, has been identified as someone who required Apple applicants to share proprietary information during interviews. Apple also raised a claim that someone told certain partners it was acceptable to share Apple’s proprietary manufacturing information.

OpenAI disputed those claims, starting with the facts. In a blog post, the company wrote, "Apple is one of the greatest companies in history and has built a reputation for obsessing over the smallest details," but called the lawsuit "careless, aggressive and strangely personal."

The material OpenAI disclosed includes a conversation between Lui Chang (루이 창) and an unidentified current Apple employee. In the exchange, the current employee opened by saying, in effect, that they needed some help in case there was not enough work, and then asked Chang to connect them with an electrical engineer who knew a specific technical item, alongside an explanation of that item. Chang responded after reviewing the relevant points and also mentioned other Apple employees he could remember. He then said, "Now that I think about it, other smart people also just left that team," and referred to someone who might still be at Apple.

This part highlights another issue in the lawsuit: gaps in internal knowledge. The disclosed exchange also includes technical references that appear to be schematics and a power block diagram. After an automatic invitation message believed to be from an Apple internal communication system, one employee added to the chat said, "This is very unusual, so please remove me from this conversation." After the current employee explained they added other employees for an "awareness purpose," the discussion shifted to internal deliberations, and Chang appeared to leave only reactions without further remarks.

OpenAI also said Apple was wrong to claim it contacted Chang. The disclosed email shows indications that Apple confused the names of Lui Chang and Che Chang (체 창), OpenAI’s lawyer. That suggests there are parts of Apple’s initial claims where the facts are disputed.

Still, the release of the material does not end the lawsuit. Apple said it sent a letter to OpenAI after filing the suit to say it would seek a preliminary injunction. Foreign media reports said Apple demanded five conditions in the letter: stopping access to and use of Apple confidential information; immediately stopping related disclosures; preserving all evidence; allowing forensic examinations of devices, cloud, email, Slack and Teams; and searching OpenAI systems for Apple confidential information. OpenAI agreed to the first three but did not accept the remaining two, the reports said.

Apple then formally asked the court for a preliminary injunction, seeking an immediate halt to OpenAI’s use or acquisition of Apple trade secrets, preservation of all evidence and permission for Apple to conduct forensic examinations of OpenAI devices and accounts. It also demanded the recovery of Apple confidential information held by OpenAI. In its filing, Apple said, "There is a high likelihood that the trade-secret claims will also be upheld on the merits." Apple separately filed a request for expedited discovery and asked the court to take early testimony from key OpenAI staff, including Lui Chang and Tang Tan. A hearing on the injunction is scheduled for Oct. 1, 2026.

As a result, the dispute is shifting beyond simple contact between current and former employees to what information actually qualifies as Apple trade secrets and whether OpenAI used it in an organised way. The disclosed exchanges alone make it hard to conclude which side’s arguments the court will accept more. Still, the clash appears certain to have worsened the relationship between Apple and OpenAI, and the legal significance of the texts and emails is expected to be treated as key evidence in the injunction decision and the main proceedings.