OpenAI has denied Apple's allegations of trade secret theft, stating the iPhone maker is attempting to blame others for its own internal issues and that California law permits employees to move between rival companies.
The dispute highlights the intense competition and legal battles emerging as AI companies, including those with hardware ambitions, seek to attract talent and develop new technologies, potentially impacting employee mobility and intellectual property rights.
OpenAI has denied Apple's allegations of trade secret theft, asserting that the iPhone maker is attempting to shift blame for its own internal issues. In a court filing, OpenAI stated that Apple's procedures for departing employees make it difficult to distinguish between personal and company information, and that California law permits employees to move freely between rival companies.
Apple had sued OpenAI and two former Apple employees, Chang Liu and Tang Tan, accusing them of misappropriating trade secrets related to hardware design and manufacturing. Apple claims Liu accessed confidential circuit plans and used proprietary information to train an AI agent. Tan, a former VP of Product Design, is accused of using internal project codenames and encouraging employees to bring confidential materials to interviews.
OpenAI contends that Apple's lawsuit is an attempt to slow down a competitor and discourage employee departures, noting that approximately 400 former Apple employees now work for the AI company. Liu stated that any access to Apple documents after his departure was to assist former colleagues, while Tan claimed he returned prototypes and only kept non-confidential materials. OpenAI argues that Apple's own "sloppy procedures" are the cause of the dispute.
Pick the topics you care about. Get only what matters, on your cadence.