On Friday, Apple initiated legal action against OpenAI, accusing the artificial intelligence company of unlawfully acquiring its trade secrets as it endeavors to develop its own hardware product.
The lawsuit claims that OpenAI recruited former Apple employees and motivated them to share confidential documents, product designs, and other sensitive information. An Apple representative stated, “Recent findings indicate that certain individuals at OpenAI improperly accessed our confidential information related to unreleased technologies, processes, and products.”
In response, Drew Pusateri, a spokesperson for OpenAI, noted that the company is currently assessing the lawsuit and emphasized, “We have no interest in the trade secrets of other firms. Our focus remains on creating groundbreaking technology that serves people worldwide.”
This lawsuit marks a significant shift in the relationship between Apple and OpenAI, who launched a partnership back in 2024 that featured the integration of OpenAI’s chatbot, ChatGPT, into Apple’s devices, including iPhones, iPads, and Macs. However, during Apple’s recent unveiling of its updated Siri assistant, it was revealed that the AI enhancement was powered by Google’s Gemini model instead of ChatGPT.
Tensions began to rise last year when OpenAI acquired a hardware startup established by former Apple design leader Jony Ive for a staggering $6.4 billion, highlighting its interest in hardware ventures. The startup, io Products, is also implicated in Apple's legal filing.
Apple's complaint alleges that OpenAI's budding hardware initiative is built on a precarious foundation, tainted by its alleged unlawful use of proprietary information. The lawsuit specifies that several ex-Apple employees transitioned to OpenAI, bringing secret information with them. Notably, Tang Yew Tan, OpenAI’s chief hardware officer and a former Apple vice president, is mentioned in the suit. Apple accuses Tan of misappropriating information regarding Apple suppliers and encouraging potential hires at OpenAI to reveal confidential details.
According to Apple’s complaint, “He has instructed job candidates still employed by Apple to present ‘actual parts’ from Apple during interviews for ‘show and tell’ sessions, aimed at extracting more confidential information from Apple.”
Additionally, Chang Liu, another former Apple staff member who joined OpenAI, is accused of taking an Apple laptop upon his departure. Apple claims Liu exploited a security flaw to access its internal network and downloaded numerous sensitive hardware files.
In a statement, the Apple spokesperson affirmed the company’s commitment to innovation, stating, “Our teams are consistently working on pioneering technologies to develop outstanding products and services. Safeguarding our work and intellectual property is a matter we approach with the utmost seriousness.”
Apple is pursuing monetary damages and seeking a legal injunction to prevent OpenAI from possessing or utilizing its trade secrets.
