OpenAI denies Apple trade secret theft allegations, blames iPhone maker for its ‘own mess’

APPLE VS OPENAI. Apple and OpenAI logos are seen in this illustration taken July 12, 2026. Dado Ruvic/Reuters OpenAI says Apple 'cannot use its own sloppy ​procedures to blame others for its own mess' OpenAI denied allegations from Apple that it stole trade secrets through former employees, claiming Apple failed to prove any confidential information was taken. Apple's lawsuit is viewed by OpenAI as an attempt to hinder competition and discourage employees from leaving, as OpenAI has hired around 400 former Apple workers. OpenAI criticized Apple's policies regarding employee departures and document access, asserting that these practices complicate the separation of personal and company information. This is AI-generated. Read the article for full context. Report any errors. MANILA, Philippines – OpenAI on Monday, August 31, denied allegations it had stolen some Apple trade secrets, adding that the iPhone maker did not show former employees had taken confidential information. Apple’s July complaint against OpenAI and Tang Tan and Chang Liu, former Apple employees and now OpenAI workers, stems from assertions that OpenAI took on a broad effort to systematically acquire and exploit Apple’s confidential information through ex-employees. According to a Reuters report, OpenAI said Apple’s lawsuit intends to slow down a potential competitor while also discouraging Apple employees from leaving the company, with OpenAI taking on some 400 former employees of the iPhone maker to boost its hardware initiative according to filings from both companies. OpenAI said Monday that Apple’s encouragement of the use of personal iCloud accounts to access documents and perform work tasks makes separating personal and company information difficult, adding that Apple’s policy of immediately escorting departing employees from the premises does not give them the time to return company devices, turn over responsibilities, and move over work files to the right people within the company. Liu said in a filing that his access to Apple documents after his departure was done to help former colleagues within the company to locate files or answer work-related queries, and adding Apple employees kept contacting him for help after his departure. Meanwhile, Tan said he only kept non-confidential documents, like an employee departure checklist, after he left the company. OpenAI on August 3 also denied wrongdoing and published messages and email correspondences on their website that support what Liu has said — that he was helping his former coworkers. OpenAI said that employees “can leave a company like Apple that has struggled to ⁠adopt ​AI and move to an exciting startup that builds innovative products.” “Apple may not like those choices. But it cannot claim those choices are unlawful, and it cannot use its own sloppy ​procedures to blame others for its own mess,” OpenAI added. – Rappler.com How does this make you feel? Loading