In its court filing, OpenAI rejected those allegations and argued that Apple's complaint fails to identify specific trade secrets that were allegedly taken. The company also contends that Apple's own information management and employee offboarding practices undermine its claims.
OpenAI said Apple allowed employees to use personal iCloud accounts for work and did not consistently revoke access after employees departed. According to the filing, Apple managers continued communicating with former employee Chang Liu after he left the company, including asking for assistance with technical questions and file transfers.
The AI company also argued that Liu's communications with former Apple colleagues reflected efforts to help them locate information rather than an attempt to obtain or misuse confidential material.
Regarding Tang Tan, OpenAI said Apple's allegations stem from standard recruiting and hardware development activities rather than any effort to solicit protected information. The filing also argues that Apple has not identified any specific trade secret allegedly disclosed to Tan, weakening its claim under the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act.
OpenAI further accused Apple of using the lawsuit to hinder competition in AI-powered hardware while pointing to Apple's own recruiting challenges.
"Apple should not be permitted to use a baseless and pretextual lawsuit to make up for its shortcomings in the market for talent and retaining its employees, and its failures to integrate AI into its products," OpenAI's legal team wrote in its motion.
The company also maintained that it has no interest in acquiring Apple's confidential information. "OpenAI has no use, need or desire for Apple's trade secrets," the filing states. "OpenAI is building something entirely new and different from anything at Apple."
According to the filing, OpenAI's interest lies in recruiting engineers, developers, and inventors who choose to leave Apple to work on new AI technologies.
The latest court filing follows Apple's request for expedited discovery after the company said its internal investigation suggested that additional former employees may have participated in or witnessed the alleged transfer of confidential information.
The dispute comes as OpenAI continues expanding its hardware ambitions following its acquisition of IO, the hardware startup founded by former Apple executive Jony Ive. Apple's lawsuit also states that more than 400 former Apple employees have joined OpenAI, highlighting the growing competition between the two companies for AI talent.
A federal judge will now determine whether Apple's claims can proceed or whether OpenAI's motion to dismiss should be granted.
This analysis is based on reporting from Gizmodo.
Image courtesy of Khaama.
This article was generated with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy and quality.
