Apple Sues OpenAI Over Alleged Trade Secret Theft

OpenAI is facing a civil lawsuit that alleges the company conspired with former Apple engineers to appropriate proprietary information related to Apple’s artificial‑intelligence hardware and software projects. The complaint, filed in a federal court in California, asserts that OpenAI recruited the ex‑Apple staff members and, through them, obtained confidential designs, development roadmaps and internal research data that Apple considers trade secrets. The plaintiffs claim the alleged conduct violates the federal Economic Espionage Act and California’s Uniform Trade Secrets Act, seeking injunctive relief and monetary damages.

OpenAI has denied the accusations, stating that it does not use or benefit from any improperly obtained information and that its hiring practices comply with all applicable laws. Apple’s legal team described the lawsuit as “baseless” and emphasized the company’s commitment to protecting its intellectual property. The case is set for a preliminary hearing later this month, after which a judge will decide whether the dispute proceeds to trial or is resolved through settlement.