Apple sues OpenAI over alleged trade secret theft

Apple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI on Friday, alleging the AI company stole trade secrets as part of an effort to build its own hardware device. The complaint says OpenAI poached Apple employees and encouraged them to share confidential material, product designs and other closely guarded information tied to unreleased technologies, processes and products.

OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri said the company was reviewing the court filing and added that OpenAI has no interest in other companies’ trade secrets. The dispute marks a reversal from the companies’ major partnership in 2024, when Apple integrated ChatGPT into the operating systems for iPhones, iPads and Macs. Apple later showcased a revamped Siri using Google’s Gemini AI model rather than ChatGPT.

Tensions grew after OpenAI spent $6.4bn to acquire io Products, a hardware startup founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive, which is also named in the suit. Apple also named former employees Tang Yew Tan and Chang Liu, alleging Tan sought confidential information from job candidates and Liu took an Apple laptop, exploited an authentication bug and downloaded confidential hardware-related files. Apple is seeking damages and a court order blocking OpenAI from possessing or using its trade secrets.