OpenAI issues rebuttal to Apple trade-secrets lawsuit

OpenAI has issued a forceful public rebuttal to a trade secrets lawsuit filed by Apple, characterizing the legal action as based on false information and unnecessarily aggressive. The dispute centers on Apple's allegations that OpenAI and two former Apple employees now working there misappropriated confidential hardware development information. Apple filed the lawsuit in July and on August 3 sought a preliminary injunction to bar the defendants from accessing or using the alleged trade secrets.

In a detailed blog post published overnight on August 4, OpenAI denied possessing or wanting any of Apple's confidential information. The company argued that Apple's legal team made significant errors in its pre-lawsuit communications. According to OpenAI, Apple's outside counsel mistakenly emailed the wrong person in February due to confusing two similar Asian last names. OpenAI also stated that Apple conceded a claimed discussion with OpenAI's general counsel never occurred. The AI firm said it then heard nothing from Apple for five months before the lawsuit was filed.

OpenAI's response included what it presented as internal iMessage evidence countering Apple's claims against one former...