Apple Accuses OpenAI of Trade‑Secret Theft in Fierce Patent War
Apple sued the artificial‑intelligence company OpenAI, two ex‑Apple employees and the design start‑up ioProducts in a federal complaint filed Friday. The lawsuit alleges that former Apple staff, who joined OpenAI after leaving the company, used confidential data to aid the black‑box firm’s hardware ambitions.
Apple says the former employees emailed internal information to themselves and that OpenAI tried to extract sensitive details from current Apple hires during interviews. The company claims this “pattern of theft” helped OpenAI build a keyboard and other hardware that compete directly with Apple products.
In response, OpenAI spokesman Drew Pusateri stated that the company has no interest in other companies’ trade secrets and is focused on innovative technology that “empowers people everywhere.” The firm is currently reviewing the complaint.
Apple’s move comes after a period of collaboration—Apple once offered ChatGPT as a feature on its devices and had a technical partnership with OpenAI during a time when Tim Cook was visiting the AI’s co‑founder, Sam Altman. The lawsuit now sees Apple accusing OpenAI of building its nascent hardware business on stolen information.
Apple also seeks an immediate injunction against OpenAI, prohibition of further use of any alleged confidential material and unspecified monetary damages. The dispute highlights the high stakes in AI‑hardware convergence and the legal frontiers of intellectual‑property protection.
Image Credit: Reuters
