OpenAI Rebuts Apple Lawsuit, Says It Would Have Explained If Asked
Apple's request for expedited discovery signals the case is expanding from individual allegations to implicate OpenAI as a whole, potentially affecting its AI device development.
Key Facts
- Apple filed a trade secret misappropriation lawsuit in July 2026 seeking a preliminary injunction against OpenAI.
- Apple's lawsuit names OpenAI, former product VP Tang Tang, and former engineer Zhang Liu.
- Apple claims 11 additional former employees may have been involved in taking trade secrets, including Yuting Peng.
- Apple is seeking expedited discovery in the case.
- OpenAI says Apple's lawyers emailed the wrong person due to a mistaken Asian surname and falsely claimed consultations with OpenAI's legal counsel.
Reporting from 2 sources: GameBusiness.jp, GIGAZINE.
OpenAI has publicly pushed back against Apple's trade secret lawsuit, arguing that Apple's claims are based on errors and that the company would have cooperated if approached before litigation. In a blog post, OpenAI called Apple "one of the greatest companies in history" but described the lawsuit as "reckless, aggressive, and inexplicably emotional," saying it does not match Apple's reputation. OpenAI says Apple claimed to have contacted it in February 2026, but that Apple's external lawyers admitted to emailing the wrong person due to a mistaken Asian surname. Apple also claimed to have consulted with OpenAI's legal officers, which OpenAI says never happened. According to OpenAI, Apple did not make specific allegations at the time and told OpenAI the issue was being resolved, then went silent for five months before filing suit. The lawsuit, filed in July, targets OpenAI, former Apple product VP Tang Tang, and former engineer Zhang Liu, alleging poaching and theft of confidential information. OpenAI counters that Apple's own failure to manage employee access, including mixing personal and work iCloud accounts, left former employees able to access sensitive files after leaving. OpenAI says it proposed cooperating to resolve the matter, but that Apple has expanded its claims to include vague accusations against other former employees. Apple now says 11 additional former employees may be involved, including Yuting Peng, a former iPhone systems engineer now at OpenAI.
OpenAI's rebuttal includes a claim that Apple's lawyers sent an email to the wrong person because of a mistaken Asian surname, an error Apple's external counsel reportedly admitted. OpenAI also says Apple falsely stated it had consulted with OpenAI's legal officers, and that no such consultation occurred. At the time of the initial contact, OpenAI says Apple made no specific allegations and indicated the problem was being resolved, then did not contact OpenAI for five months before filing the lawsuit in July.
Apple's lawsuit seeks a preliminary injunction to prevent OpenAI from developing AI devices based on Apple's technology. The company has now identified 11 other former employees who may have been involved in taking trade secrets, including Yuting Peng, a former iPhone systems engineer now working as a technical staff member at OpenAI. Apple claims former employees contacted Liu and Peng before interviews at OpenAI and discussed confidential information about unreleased Apple products. One former employee allegedly took screenshots of confidential documents before an interview. Since the complaint was filed, several former Apple employees at OpenAI have contacted Apple about returning company-issued devices.
OpenAI argues the injunction request is based on false information and unnecessary because it does not possess or seek Apple's trade secrets. The company also points to Apple's own security failures, including recommending employees mix personal and work iCloud accounts, which left former employees with residual access to sensitive files.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- GameBusiness.jp アップル、さらに多くの元従業員によるOpenAIへの企業秘密漏洩の可能性を主張
- GIGAZINE OpenAIがAppleによる訴訟に反論、「提訴する前に相談してくれれば喜んですべて説明していた」