Apple Is Suing OpenAI for Allegedly Stealing Hardware Secrets

Apple has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that the AI company systematically poached employees to steal proprietary hardware secrets. The suit claims OpenAI encouraged former Apple staff to bypass security protocols to bring confidential technology to their new roles.
Why it matters
This legal battle highlights the intensifying competition between tech giants as they race to develop proprietary hardware for AI-powered consumer devices.
The lawsuit accuses OpenAI chief hardware officer Tang Tan, who spent 24 years at Apple and oversaw iPhone product design, and his colleagues at the AI company of encouraging people departing or considering leaving Apple to bring with them proprietary and unreleased technology. Tan allegedly helped coach recruits on how to evade Apple’s data security protocols and directed them to bring confidential Apple parts to job interviews at OpenAI.
The article reports on the legal filings and statements from both sides without taking a definitive stance on the merits of the case.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in