Apple files lawsuit accusing OpenAI of trade secret theft
Apple filed a federal lawsuit accusing OpenAI of misappropriating its hardware trade secrets through former Apple employees. The complaint, detailed in a 41-page filing, says OpenAI recruited senior designers and other staff who had access to confidential documents, as reported by The Verge. Apple further alleges that OpenAI used a former supplier to obtain proprietary hardware designs and instructed the poached employees to bypass Apple’s security measures, according to TechCrunch. Earlier reports from CNBC and Fortune noted that the suit claims OpenAI is preparing its own consumer hardware, prompting the trade-secret accusations.
Business Insider added that Apple claims the alleged misconduct involves hundreds of its employees. OpenAI responded that it sees no evidence supporting Apple’s accusations and has no interest in other companies’ trade secrets, the firm said to TechCrunch. The AI company said it has not accessed any confidential Apple information and rejected the merit of the lawsuit.
