Apple’s OpenAI trade secrets lawsuit: the key allegations to watch

TechCrunch reports that Apple’s trade secret lawsuit against OpenAI alleges a coordinated effort to extract confidential information from current and former Apple employees. The complaint describes alleged misconduct as “normalized and exemplified by leadership,” signaling that Apple is targeting OpenAI’s broader culture and practices, not only individual workers. Apple also argues that OpenAI’s hardware ambitions allegedly rely on misappropriated Apple trade secrets.

Among the most eye-catching claims, Apple alleges a former senior systems electrical engineer accessed Apple systems through an authentication bug and joked, “LOL, I found out I can access the [network storage], so funny.” Apple also claims the employee referenced having “another computer” after leaving Apple. The complaint further alleges that OpenAI job candidates working at Apple were asked to bring “actual parts,” “CAD/design artifacts,” and “prototypes” to interviews for “show and tell sessions.”

Apple alleges OpenAI coached departing Apple employees on how to avoid Apple security procedures, including the “dreaded walkout,” which would remove them immediately after giving notice. The complaint also says candidates were told to let OpenAI know “asap” if Apple asked them to sign anything during an exit interview. Apple says “over four hundred former Apple employees” now work at OpenAI, a figure it uses to argue the potential scope of confidential knowledge is significant.

TechCrunch notes that Apple’s 41-page complaint calls the described conduct “the tip of the iceberg” and says discovery could reveal more corporate documents, texts, and emails. Apple also alleges io, now a defendant, used Apple industrial design techniques tied to metal-finishing and that OpenAI approached a supplier using confidential information about design, power, and batteries. OpenAI’s public response, shared on X, said: “We have no interest in other companies’ trade secrets. We remain focused on building innovative technology that empowers people everywhere.”