OpenAI has publicly challenged Apple's trade secrets lawsuit, publishing emails and text messages that accuse the iPhone maker of factual errors. The AI firm stated Apple confused employees with similar names and that Apple employees initiated contact with former staff.
The dispute highlights escalating tensions between two major tech companies and raises questions about intellectual property protection and employee transitions in the competitive AI and hardware sectors.
OpenAI has publicly challenged Apple's trade secrets lawsuit, publishing emails, text messages, and a detailed rebuttal that accuses the iPhone maker of making factual errors before filing its complaint. In a blog post, OpenAI stated Apple confused two employees with similar names, falsely claimed the company ignored its outreach, and incorrectly asserted that Apple's outside counsel had spoken with OpenAI General Counsel Che Chang before filing suit.
Apple sued OpenAI in July, accusing the company, former Apple engineer Chang Liu, former Apple design executive Tang Tan, and io Products of misappropriating hardware trade secrets as OpenAI expanded its consumer hardware efforts. Apple alleged Liu retained a company laptop, exploited an authentication bug to access internal systems, and downloaded confidential engineering documents, while Tan used confidential information to benefit OpenAI's hardware efforts.
OpenAI disputes these allegations, saying Apple contacted the wrong person after confusing two employees with similar surnames and incorrectly claimed its lawyers had spoken with Che Chang. To support its case, OpenAI published iMessage exchanges between Liu and Apple employees sent after he left the company in January, showing them asking for help locating files and answering technical questions. OpenAI argues these conversations undermine Apple's claims and show Apple employees relied on Liu's access, with any remaining access resulting from Apple's own offboarding process.
OpenAI also stated that Tan was repeatedly instructed not to bring or use confidential information from his previous employer and argued Apple's request for a preliminary injunction is unnecessary. The dispute escalates tensions between the two companies following OpenAI's hiring of former Apple talent.