OpenAI fires back at Apple's trade secrets lawsuit

OpenAI has publicly pushed back against Apple's lawsuit, which accuses the AI startup of stealing trade secrets as part of a broader dispute over hardware designs and former employees. In a Monday blog post, OpenAI called Apple's allegations 'careless, aggressive and oddly personal,' while denying any intent to use or possess Apple's confidential information. The tension escalates a once-friendly relationship, as OpenAI has hired former Apple design chief Sir Jony Ive’s studio (io) and multiple Apple employees—over 400 by Apple’s count—sparking internal investigations at Apple over potential trade secret theft.

Apple’s lawsuit claims former Apple hardware engineer Chang Liu accessed sensitive product development programs after leaving in January, while also naming OpenAI’s chief hardware officer, Tang Tan, for allegedly seeking proprietary information during interviews. However, OpenAI countered that Apple employees had themselves reached out to Liu for assistance, something Apple only recently acknowledged. Apple is now seeking a preliminary injunction to block OpenAI and its former employees from accessing, using, or disclosing trade secrets, alongside expedited depositions for key figures like Liu and Tan. OpenAI dismissed the injunction request as baseless, reaffirming its commitment to avoiding any misuse of confidential information while questioning Apple’s handling of the dispute.