Apple and OpenAI have stepped up their federal legal dispute after Apple accused OpenAI of using Apple employees to obtain closely held hardware secrets. On Monday both companies filed contentious court papers: OpenAI opposed Apple’s request for a preliminary injunction and Apple accused OpenAI of destroying evidence.
Why this matters
If the case advances into the discovery phase, two of the most secretive technology companies could be compelled to disclose sensitive details about their hiring practices, hardware development and confidentiality protections.
Latest court filings
On Monday OpenAI filed a response to Apple’s request for a preliminary injunction that would bar OpenAI from using any potentially confidential or trade-secret information while the lawsuit proceeds. In its filing OpenAI wrote, “This dispute is a mess of Apple's own making, and it is trying to blame everyone else,” and argued Apple’s request should be denied, characterizing the allegations as a “witch hunt.”
Apple also filed a brief on Monday alleging that OpenAI was actively destroying evidence in the trade‑secrets case, a claim first reported by Bloomberg. Those mutual accusations further intensify the litigation.
From partnership to courtroom
The companies’ relationship was once collaborative. In June 2024 Apple and OpenAI announced a partnership to integrate ChatGPT into the iPhone, iPad and Mac; OpenAI CEO Sam Altman attended the announcement at Apple’s headquarters.
But signs of strain appeared the following year. In May 2025 OpenAI acquired io, a startup founded by former Apple designer Jony Ive, for $6.4 billion — a move widely interpreted as OpenAI’s push into AI hardware. Ive and Altman released a promotional film that hinted at a future AI device, signaling a potential encroachment on hardware territory long associated with Apple.
The lawsuit and its claims
In July 2025 Apple sued OpenAI in federal court, alleging theft of trade secrets and misuse of Apple intellectual property to develop consumer hardware. Apple claimed OpenAI executives and former Apple employees orchestrated efforts to obtain confidential information about unreleased products, and that OpenAI approached Apple partners with sensitive materials.
OpenAI has said it is not aware of evidence supporting Apple’s allegations and has defended employees’ rights to change employers.
Procedural history
- Aug. 3, 2025: Apple sought a preliminary injunction aimed at preventing OpenAI from using the disputed information during litigation.
- OpenAI responded with a blog post titled “Apple is getting this wrong,” denying any effort to obtain Apple’s secrets.
- Aug. 5, 2025: OpenAI asked a federal judge to dismiss Apple’s lawsuit, arguing the claims lack merit and reflect Apple’s struggle to retain engineers and keep pace in AI.
- Aug. 19, 2025: Apple made clear it wants the case to move into discovery so disputed factual claims can be tested.
In its Monday filing OpenAI countered that Apple’s internal protections are inadequate and that Apple cannot “use its own sloppy procedures to blame others for its own mess.”
What’s next
A court hearing is scheduled before a judge on Oct. 1, 2025. Should the judge allow discovery to proceed, both companies may be required to disclose detailed information about recruitment, hardware development and confidential‑data safeguards, with potential implications for industry practices and competition.
Broader context
The dispute highlights the intensifying competition over AI and hardware. Apple has shifted toward integrating AI into its software ecosystem — for example, partnering with Google in January 2025 to leverage Google’s Gemini models and cloud technology for Apple Intelligence features like Siri — while OpenAI has signaled a move into hardware. The litigation’s outcome could influence how major tech firms compete over the next generation of AI devices.
