OpenAI has alleged that an employee who left the ChatGPT maker for Apple sent more than 100 files about an unreleased product to a personal account and later made a presentation about the product to senior Apple leadership. The claim is part of a new filing in the ongoing lawsuit between the two companies.
New Allegation Delays Court Showdown
The filing, made in US federal court in San Jose, California, states that the presentation occurred months ago. It also points to Apple's release of its HomeView product this week as evidence that Apple is now developing its own AI products.
“OpenAI is very concerned that its trade secret and confidential information is now circulating inside Apple, where Apple engineers can shape Apple's upcoming products based on OpenAI's confidential and innovative work,” the company said in its filing.
The two companies were scheduled to face off in court on Wednesday in the trade secrets lawsuit, but the new allegation delayed the proceedings. OpenAI said it may file a countersuit based on the new claim.
Apple Responds
Apple has said it has policies and procedures in place to ensure new employees do not use confidential information from previous employers. The company also stated it has found no evidence to support OpenAI's allegations.
The document, filed on Tuesday, is part of a trade secret dispute initiated by Apple earlier this year against OpenAI. Apple had alleged that its own employees left and took confidential information to OpenAI's hardware division. OpenAI has denied those allegations.
Court Proceedings
Earlier this week, US district court judge Edward Davila granted part of Apple's request for early access to digital files from OpenAI in the suit. Davila ruled that Apple could gather data from some of its former employees' devices and sit three of them for depositions on an accelerated schedule, including the two defendants in the case: Chang Liu, a former senior system electrical engineer, and Tang Yew Tan, a former vice-president of product design for iPhone and Apple Watch.
The case is likely to go to trial in October 2027, though OpenAI has said in court filings that it could be ready for trial as soon as June 2027.
