{
  "id": 224603,
  "title": "OpenAI says Apple’s own security practices undermine its trade secrets case",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/06/openai-says-apples-own-security-practices-undermine-its-trade-secrets",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-08-06T15:10:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TechCrunch",
    "slug": "techcrunch",
    "url": "https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/06/openai-says-apples-own-security-practices-undermine-its-trade-secrets-case/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In its motion to dismiss Apple's trade secrets lawsuit, OpenAI reveals a unique legal defense strategy. Instead of concentrating on whether former Apple engineers accessed specific information, OpenAI contends that Apple's own security measures and personnel procedures weaken its claim that the information qualifies as legally protected \"trade secrets.\" Apple's initial complaint, filed in July, accuses OpenAI of orchestrating a scheme to obtain confidential hardware details from former Apple engineers. Recently, Apple requested the court to expedite discovery, claiming additional former employees may have participated or witnessed the alleged theft of trade secrets. OpenAI's motion asserts that Apple permitted employees to use personal iCloud accounts for work and failed to properly revoke access upon their departure. Text message records submitted by OpenAI show an Apple manager remained logged into the personal iCloud account of ex-Apple engineer Chang Liu even after he left the company, and later sought his assistance with technical queries about Apple projects. OpenAI also argues that Apple neglected to mention the implications of its own \"inexplicable information-management practices\" in the original complaint, highlighting the lack of proper security when employees left, leading to confusion and unwanted access issues now portrayed as theft by Apple. While this defense may seem like a \"the door was unlocked, so it wasn't really stealing!\" argument, OpenAI uses it to strengthen its claim that former Apple employees were merely aiding their prior colleagues. It may also help position the alleged stolen materials as not genuine trade secrets due to inadequate security measures. OpenAI argues Apple hasn't identified the specific \"trade secrets\" or confidential components allegedly stolen, referring to them as \"generic categories of the product-development process, such as component manufacturing, product testing, vendor and supplier relationships, and distribution channels.\" OpenAI's filing suggests Apple is using this lawsuit to hinder its competitor's AI-powered hardware innovation rather than focusing on its own product plans. \"OpenAI has no use, need or desire for Apple's trade secrets,\" the motion states. \"OpenAI is developing something entirely new and different from anything at Apple. OpenAI does have an interest in hiring the best engineers, inventors, developers and creators—many of whom have chosen to leave Apple and join OpenAI, attracted by the innovative and exciting work the company is doing. Apple might not appreciate that.\" OpenAI concludes that Apple should not be allowed to utilize a baseless and pretextual lawsuit to compensate for its market shortcomings in talent acquisition and retention, as well as its failures to integrate AI into its products.",
  "summary": "Newly filed court exhibits show OpenAI’s legal strategy in Apple’s trade secrets lawsuit: argue that Apple’s own security and offboarding practices — including allowing an Apple manager to access a former engineer’s iCloud account after he left the company —undermine its claims that the allegedly stolen information was properly protected.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "OpenAI asks US judge to dismiss Apple’s trade secrets case",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/06/openai-asks-us-judge-to-dismiss-apples-trade-secrets-case-212642",
        "published": "2026-08-06T07:40:59.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}