Key facts
- Elon Musk accused OpenAI CEO Sam Altman of "scamming people" in a social media post.
- Apple filed a trade secret lawsuit against OpenAI.
- Apple alleges OpenAI misused confidential information and hardware components related to future devices.
- The lawsuit names Tang Tan, OpenAI's chief hardware officer, who previously worked at Apple.
- OpenAI denied the allegations, stating it has no interest in obtaining competitors' trade secrets.
Elon Musk has renewed his public criticism of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, accusing him of "scamming people" in a recent social media post. This latest exchange occurs as OpenAI faces a trade secret lawsuit filed by Apple.
Apple's lawsuit alleges that OpenAI misused confidential information, including hardware components and engineering drawings, related to its future devices. The complaint specifically names Tang Tan, OpenAI's chief hardware officer, who previously held a vice president role in product design at Apple and was involved in developing products like the iPhone and Apple Watch.
According to Apple, OpenAI encouraged employees to share sensitive materials to accelerate its own hardware ambitions. However, an OpenAI spokesperson has rejected these claims, stating the company has no interest in obtaining competitors' trade secrets. The timing of Musk's remarks has drawn significant attention, given his history of questioning OpenAI's leadership and business practices.
This public feud between Musk and Altman, who were once associated with OpenAI's early development, has intensified. Their disagreements have extended beyond AI development to include legal disputes and public criticism. Notably, a previous trade secret lawsuit filed by Musk's xAI against OpenAI was dismissed by a U.S. federal judge due to insufficient evidence.