OpenAI asks judge to dismiss Apple’s trade secrets lawsuit

OpenAI has filed a motion with a federal judge to dismiss Apple’s lawsuit alleging that the AI company stole trade secrets. In the filing, the startup characterizes the claims as “meritless,” arguing that Apple misrepresented the conduct of former Apple employees who joined OpenAI and that the information at issue—generic product‑development data—does not qualify as a trade secret. OpenAI also contends that Apple failed to take reasonable steps to safeguard any confidential material it claims was misappropriated.

Apple’s suit, filed in July, accuses the former employees of taking confidential documents to benefit OpenAI’s development of ChatGPT. The company has maintained that the alleged theft undermines its competitive position and seeks damages and injunctive relief. OpenAI’s dismissal request counters that the allegations are unsubstantiated and that the evidence presented does not support a finding of trade‑secret theft.

If the court grants the motion, the lawsuit would be dismissed, allowing both parties to avoid further litigation. The outcome will hinge on the judge’s assessment of whether Apple’s claims meet the legal threshold for trade‑secret misappropriation and whether the evidence supports the alleged wrongdoing.