OpenAI has taken its dispute with Apple into the public arena, releasing internal communications to counter allegations of trade secret theft. In a blog post titled "Apple is getting this wrong," the artificial intelligence company stated that Apple's lawsuit is "careless, aggressive, and oddly personal." The company published iMessage and email exchanges to challenge the core assertions made in Apple's legal filing.
Apple originally sued OpenAI on July 10, alleging that former Apple employees, including engineer Chang Liu and former design executive Tang Tan, conspired to funnel confidential product information to OpenAI for its hardware development. Apple is seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent OpenAI and the former employees from using or disclosing any alleged confidential information. The iPhone maker claims that Liu exploited an authentication bug to access confidential hardware files and failed to return a corporate laptop. Apple also stated that its outside legal counsel contacted OpenAI in February regarding trade secret concerns, but received no response.
OpenAI disputes this timeline, asserting that Apple's counsel initially emailed the wrong person due to a confusion of names. The company provided an email chain showing this mix-up and an apology from Apple's counsel. OpenAI stated it heard nothing further about the specific allegations for five months until Apple filed its lawsuit. Regarding Liu, OpenAI claims Apple employees reached out to him after his departure seeking help to locate information. The company suggested that Apple's claim of "residual access" points to broader issues with Apple's own systems management for departing employees.
Concerning Tang Tan, OpenAI stated that he consistently made it clear to his team that they should not use any confidential information from other companies. OpenAI highlighted Tan's 24-year tenure at Apple, describing him as an innovative leader.
The public release of these communications escalates the legal battle, moving it beyond formal court filings into the court of public opinion. OpenAI's blog post also mentioned that Apple's claims about discussions with OpenAI's General Counsel were later conceded by Apple to have not happened. Apple's lawsuit also suggests that an additional 11 OpenAI staff members may have improperly used Apple's trade secrets.
OpenAI maintains that Apple's request for a preliminary injunction is unnecessary, stating, "We do not have, nor want, any of their trade secrets." The company emphasized its focus on developing its own innovative products and technologies. The dispute arises as OpenAI, a key technology provider for Apple's own AI initiatives like Apple Intelligence and Siri, recruits former Apple talent for its hardware division. This legal action follows a pattern where Apple has faced similar accusations, including from Masimo and A123 Systems, regarding employee recruitment and alleged misuse of trade secrets.