OpenAI releases internal messages to counter Apple lawsuit

OpenAI has taken its legal dispute with Apple into the public sphere, publishing a blog post and communication logs to refute allegations of trade secret theft. The conflict centers on Apple's lawsuit filed last month, which accuses OpenAI of recruiting key talent to steal proprietary hardware designs. Apple recently escalated the battle by seeking a preliminary injunction to block OpenAI and two former Apple employees, Chang Liu and Tang Tan, from accessing or using any of its confidential information.

The dispute highlights the intense competition for hardware talent in the AI sector. Tan spent 25 years at Apple, where he oversaw design for the iPhone and Apple Watch, before transitioning to his current role as OpenAI's chief hardware officer. Liu, a former iPhone engineer, now works on OpenAI's technical team. Apple alleges that Liu kept a company computer, exploited an authentication vulnerability to access cloud storage after his departure, and downloaded confidential files. Additionally, Apple claims Tan prompted job candidates to share proprietary Apple designs during interviews.

In its public response, OpenAI dismissed the lawsuit as "careless, aggressive, and oddly personal," asserting that it has no interest in Apple's proprietary technology. To counter the allegations, OpenAI published emails and iMessage logs. The company argued that Apple employees actually contacted Liu for help finding files after he left. OpenAI blamed any post-employment network access on Apple's own failure to manage system access properly, describing it as a common issue that leaves former employees with unwanted access.

OpenAI also defended Tan, stating he instructed his team to avoid using outside intellectual property. Furthermore, the AI firm revealed that Apple's legal team initially delayed communications because their outside counsel emailed the wrong individual after confusing two Asian last names. For AI practitioners, this public spat underscores the rising legal risks associated with hiring hardware experts from established tech giants as AI firms race to build their own physical devices.