The legal dispute between Apple and OpenAI has taken a new turn. In a filing this week in federal court in San José, OpenAI accused a former employee of moving more than 100 confidential files to personal accounts that were linked to an unreleased device, and of later briefing Apple executives about the product.
OpenAI said the alleged demo took place months ago and noted the timing is notable as Apple has recently renewed efforts on AI-enhanced products, referencing the launch of Apple HomeView.
What the filing alleges the files contained
According to OpenAI, the files included detailed images of at least one unreleased device as well as engineering data, manufacturing details and supplier information. Some documents were allegedly transferred on June 2, the former employee’s last day at OpenAI.
OpenAI said the individual previously worked at Apple, then spent about six months at OpenAI before returning to Apple. The company also alleges the former employee gave a presentation about OpenAI’s product plans to Apple executives, including Apple’s vice president for Asian operations.
OpenAI’s concerns and Apple’s response
OpenAI’s filing states: “OpenAI is deeply concerned that its trade secrets and confidential information are now circulating within Apple, where Apple engineers could develop Apple’s next products based on OpenAI’s confidential and innovative work.”
Apple responded that it has policies and procedures designed to prevent new hires from using former employers’ confidential information, and that it has not found evidence supporting OpenAI’s claims.
Background of the litigation and potential impact
Apple filed a trade-secret lawsuit against OpenAI earlier this year, alleging some former Apple employees left and took confidential information to OpenAI’s hardware division; OpenAI has denied those claims. With its new filing, OpenAI is effectively asserting that Apple may also be a recipient of confidential materials.
Relations between the two companies soured after OpenAI moved into consumer hardware, a market long dominated by Apple. OpenAI has said it did not want to remain dependent on other companies’ devices to reach users, and argued that a company supplying both a device and the AI running on it would have a more direct relationship with users. OpenAI’s acquisition last year of the hardware startup io, founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive, for $6.5 billion is tied to that strategy; io is named as a defendant in Apple’s suit.
Tensions also increased after Apple, which had previously worked with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into Apple devices, announced earlier this year it would update Siri with Google’s Gemini models and cut ties with the Sam Altman-led startup.
Next steps: evidence gathering and trial timing
Reuters reported that the trial is scheduled for October 2027, though OpenAI says it may be prepared to proceed earlier. For now both sides are collecting evidence and reviewing data; it will be up to the court to determine which allegations can be proven and what legal consequences follow.
Summary
OpenAI alleges a former employee moved over 100 confidential files tied to an unreleased device to personal accounts and briefed Apple executives, while Apple says it has found no evidence to support those claims. The dispute is part of broader litigation over trade secrets and could affect both companies’ hardware plans as the case moves toward a possible 2027 trial.
