OpenAI accuses former employee of taking files to Apple

OpenAI alleges a former employee transferred about 100 confidential files to a personal account and later presented details of an unreleased product to Apple executives, escalating a trade-secret dispute in which both companies accuse the other of mishandling proprietary information. The allegations appear in a court filing and have not been independently established. Apple denies OpenAI’s claims and says it found no evidence to support them. OpenAI’s filing says the employee, who had joined OpenAI from Apple and worked there for six months, returned to Apple. It alleges the files included device photographs, engineering and production information, supplier records, project documents and specifications for surface finishes. The filing says the employee presented information about OpenAI’s product plans to senior Apple executives, including Apple’s vice president of operations in Asia. OpenAI says the presentation took place months ago and argues that the information could inform Apple’s product development. It has raised concern that confidential material may be circulating within Apple, but the filing does not establish that Apple used the information to develop any product.