Apple’s former vice president of product design, Tang Tan, is at the center of two trade secret theft lawsuits against OpenAI. Here’s who he is, how he got started, and why he is crucial to OpenAI’s future.
Tang Tam – Image Credit: mit.gelstagram/Instagram
Tang Tam – Image Credit: mit.gelstagram/Instagram
On July 10, Apple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that two former Apple employees stole its intellectual property. The trade secrets would allegedly be used by OpenAI’s hardware teams to produce new products, including a planned AI device.
One name stands out prominently in the affair. Tang Tan is a major figure, partly because of his position at Apple and at OpenAI, and from his alleged activities that prompted the lawsuit.