According to Bloomberg's report on July 10th, Apple filed a lawsuit against the artificial intelligence company OpenAI for stealing trade secrets.
In a lawsuit document, Apple accused the company and its hardware executives of being involved in an organized effort to steal information about upcoming products from Apple. Apple also stated that OpenAI encouraged Apple employees to share information, components, drawings, and other materials related to upcoming products, as part of OpenAI’s efforts to develop its own device suite.
Apple has named OpenAI's Chief Hardware Officer, Tang Tan, as a defendant. Tang Tan previously served as the vice president of product design at Apple, leading the development of products such as the iPhone, smart watches, AirPods, and several other products in the company's hardware engineering department.
“From technical personnel to Chief Hardware Officer, OpenAI has formed partnerships with business partners at every level, stealing Apple's commercial secrets and confidential information,” Apple stated in the document forcefully. “OpenAI's nascent hardware business is now shaky on its foundation, as it has illegally relied on stolen commercial secrets that have rotted its core.”
OpenAI responded in a statement that it "is not interested in other companies' business secrets."
According to reports, this legal dispute marks a dramatic change in the relationship between two companies that have been close allies in recent years.
Previously, OpenAI provided key technologies for Apple’s smart platform and Siri digital assistant. However, over the past year, relations between the two parties have become increasingly tense—this situation was further exacerbated when OpenAI hired former Apple design master Jonathan Ive to participate in device development.
OpenAI plans to launch an initial public offering (IPO) within the next few months. The company has recruited a significant number of employees from Apple Inc. According to legal documents, more than 400 former Apple employees have joined OpenAI.
