苹果对OpenAI发起诉讼，指控其系统性挖走超过400名苹果员工，涉及产品设计、硬件研发、屏幕技术、天线工程和供应链管理等关键环节[1]。根据起诉，这一人才流失与OpenAI收购io Products密切相关——2025年，OpenAI以65亿美元全股票交易收购了由苹果前首席设计师乔纳森·艾维创立的该公司[1]。苹果前硬件工程高管唐坦在苹果工作24年后，于2026年初加入OpenAI出任首席硬件官，随后大规模招聘苹果员工[1]。此外，前苹果员工刘畅被指利用未归还的MacBook继续访问苹果云端存储，下载了数十份机密文件[1]。
OpenAI的硬件扩张野心明确，计划为AI Agent设计专门的硬件产品线[1]。根据其路线图，音箱产品预计2027年初上市，手机计划在2027年上半年实现量产[1]。行业分析师郭明錤预测OpenAI AI Agent手机在2027-2028年间合计出货约3000万台[1]。
面对这一挑战，苹果采取多管齐下的反制措施。公司于2026年1月与谷歌签署多年期协议，每年支付约10亿美元，用谷歌Gemini驱动新版Siri以替代ChatGPT[1]。同时，苹果推出了自有的AFM Core基础模型，该模型仅有30亿参数、功耗控制在1瓦以内、响应延迟不到200毫秒[1]。此外，苹果于2026年4月宣布硬件工程出身的约翰·特努斯将于9月1日接替蒂姆·库克出任CEO，进一步强化其硬件战略布局[1]。
Apple has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing the artificial intelligence company of misappropriating trade secrets and breaching contractual obligations through the systematic recruitment of over 400 Apple employees [1]. The lawsuit covers personnel involved in critical areas including product design, hardware development, screen technology, antenna engineering, and supply chain management [1].
The conflict intensified after OpenAI's 2025 acquisition of io Products for $6.5 billion in an all-stock transaction, a company founded by former Apple Chief Design Officer Jonathan Ive [1]. Following the acquisition, OpenAI accelerated hiring of Apple staff, with Tan Tang, who spent 24 years at Apple, joining OpenAI as Chief Hardware Officer in early 2026 to lead the initiative [1]. The company is pursuing an ambitious hardware roadmap, with speakers projected to launch in early 2027 and mass-produced smartphones set for the first half of 2027 [1]. Industry analyst Guo Minghao predicts OpenAI's AI Agent phones could ship approximately 30 million units combined in 2027-2028 [1].
The dispute also includes allegations of data theft, with Liu Chang accused of using an unreturned MacBook to access Apple's cloud storage and download dozens of confidential files [1]. Apple has responded with multiple countermeasures: signing a multi-year agreement with Google in January 2026 to power a new version of Siri with Google Gemini—at an estimated cost of approximately $1 billion annually [1]—while developing its own Apple Foundation Model with just 3 billion parameters, power consumption controlled under 1 watt, and response latency below 200 milliseconds [1]. Additionally, in April 2026, Apple announced that John Ternus, a hardware engineering veteran, will succeed Tim Cook as CEO effective September 1, 2026, signaling a strategic reinforcement of its hardware capabilities [1].
