OpenAI filed a motion to dismiss Apple’s trade‑secrets lawsuit, arguing that the tech giant’s allegations are unfounded and that the case should be thrown out before it proceeds to trial. The lawsuit, filed in July, accuses several former Apple employees who later joined OpenAI of downloading confidential documents to aid the AI company’s hardware development. OpenAI’s legal team responded by labeling the accusations "meritless" and describing the lawsuit as "rotten to its core."
In the filing, OpenAI contends that Apple has mischaracterized ordinary product‑development information as proprietary trade secrets. The company notes that Apple did not take reasonable steps to keep the alleged information secret, a prerequisite for trade‑secret protection under the law. By stretching the definition of a trade secret, OpenAI says Apple is attempting to use the courts to compensate for its own talent‑retention challenges.
One of the employees at the center of the dispute is Chang Liu, a former Apple staffer now working at OpenAI. Apple alleges Liu downloaded confidential files after leaving Apple. OpenAI counters that Liu was merely assisting former colleagues who requested help, and that no theft occurred. The startup’s motion also claims Apple’s case relies on selective or out‑of‑context communications and is poorly investigated.
Apple has not been silent. Alongside the lawsuit, the company filed a request for a preliminary injunction aimed at preventing OpenAI and the named former employees from accessing, using, or disclosing any of the purported confidential information while the case moves forward. The injunction, if granted, would restrict OpenAI’s ability to use any data it might have obtained from the former Apple staffers.
The two sides are slated to argue their positions before a federal judge on Oct. 1. OpenAI’s motion, filed on Tuesday, references a blog post the company published earlier in the week titled “Apple is getting this wrong.” In that post, OpenAI described Apple’s legal strategy as “careless, aggressive, and oddly personal,” and suggested the lawsuit reflects Apple’s broader difficulties in retaining top engineering talent and integrating AI into its products.
Legal experts note that the outcome will hinge on whether the court finds the information in question truly qualifies as a trade secret and whether Apple demonstrated adequate protective measures. The case also underscores the growing tension between established hardware firms and the fast‑moving AI sector, as companies scramble to secure talent and protect intellectual property.
OpenAI’s defense underscores its commitment to building novel AI hardware without relying on proprietary Apple data. The company asserts that its engineers are attracted by “innovative and exciting work,” not by the lure of stolen information. Apple, meanwhile, maintains that the alleged misappropriation gave OpenAI an unfair advantage in a competitive market.
The upcoming hearing will likely set the tone for how courts address trade‑secret claims in the rapidly evolving AI industry, where talent mobility and cross‑company collaborations are increasingly common.
Cet article a été rédigé avec l'assistance de l'IA.
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