OpenAI says Apple has only itself to blame in trade-secret fight

OpenAI has dismissed Apple's allegations of trade secret theft, stating that the iPhone maker failed to prove any confidential information was stolen by former employees. In a filing to a U.S. District Court in San Jose, California, OpenAI said that Apple's dispute is "a mess of Apple's own making" and that it is trying to blame others.

The lawsuit, filed by Apple in July, accuses OpenAI and former Apple employees Tang Tan and Chang Liu of misappropriating trade secrets related to hardware design, manufacturing, and supply-chain operations as OpenAI enters the consumer device market. OpenAI contends that Apple is using the lawsuit to hinder a potential competitor and discourage employee departures.

OpenAI has hired roughly 400 former Apple employees for its hardware initiative and argues that California law permits this employee mobility. The lawsuit marks a significant escalation in tensions between the two companies, which previously partnered to boost ChatGPT's reach and help Apple gain a stronger foothold in AI. Apple accused OpenAI of employees accessing internal files after they left the company, while OpenAI argued that Apple's policy of escorting departing employees and requiring immediate return of company devices makes it challenging for employees to transfer files and hand over responsibilities.

OpenAI's former employee Liu stated that his access to Apple documents after leaving was to help former colleagues locate files or answer work-related questions. Tan claimed he returned Apple prototypes before leaving and only retained non-confidential materials. OpenAI concluded that employees can leave a struggling company like Apple for an innovative startup and that Apple cannot claim these choices are unlawful or use its own procedures to blame others.