OpenAI Calls Apple's Trade Secrets Lawsuit 'Oddly Personal' as Legal Fight Turns Ugly

OpenAI has gone on the offensive against Apple, publishing a blog post Monday evening branding the iPhone maker's trade secrets lawsuit as 'careless, aggressive and oddly personal.' The post is a direct rebuttal to claims that OpenAI systematically plundered Apple's confidential hardware designs as it pushes into consumer devices.

'We do not have, nor want, any of their trade secrets,' OpenAI wrote, accusing Apple of vague allegations and attempting to 'change their narrative.' Bold words, given the legal exposure involved.

Apple filed the lawsuit last month, claiming OpenAI had made off with proprietary hardware designs as it gears up to launch its own consumer AI products. The timing is awkward for both companies. OpenAI is moving into Apple's living room with its own hardware ambitions, while Apple has been quietly cosying up to Google to breathe new life into Siri. Former partners, now rivals.

Things started turning sour after OpenAI acquired io, the design studio set up by former Apple design chief Sir Jony Ive, and went on a hiring spree that reportedly netted more than 400 ex-Apple staff. Apple says it sent a warning to OpenAI in February about an internal investigation into possible trade secret theft and got nothing back.

OpenAI's version of that exchange is rather different. It claims Apple's lawyers emailed the wrong person after confusing two Asian surnames, and that Apple's counsel later claimed a conversation with OpenAI's General Counsel had taken place when, OpenAI says, it simply never happened. Apple apparently then told OpenAI it was 'resolving any issues' before going completely silent. Five months later, the lawsuit landed.

The case centres on two individuals. Chang Liu, a former Apple employee who worked on sensitive product development, allegedly accessed confidential information after leaving Apple in January. OpenAI's counter here is pointed: Apple's own staff contacted Liu and asked him to help locate that information, something Apple 'only now admits.'

The second figure is Tang Tan, OpenAI's chief hardware officer, who Apple claims went fishing for proprietary details while interviewing current Apple employees. OpenAI says Tan has consistently told his team not to use confidential information from previous employers.

Apple isn't hanging about procedurally. On Monday it sought a preliminary injunction to stop the named former employees and OpenAI from accessing or using its trade secrets, and filed a second motion pushing for expedited discovery, including depositions from Liu and Tan.

OpenAI dismissed the injunction request as both factually wrong and unnecessary. It closed its blog post with a backhanded compliment that probably stings more than a direct insult: 'Apple is one of the greatest companies of all time, and built a reputation for obsessing over the smallest details. This careless, aggressive and oddly personal lawsuit sadly doesn't live up to that reputation.'

Apple has not commented.