OpenAI Alleges Ex-Employee Stole Product Plans for Apple
OpenAI has accused a former employee of stealing proprietary information and passing it to Apple, according to a legal filing reported by Reuters. The company claims the unnamed ex-employee took more than 100 files containing sensitive product plans, engineering data, and supplier information before departing.
The filing alleges the employee sent the materials to a personal account and subsequently presented them to Apple leadership, including the vice president of the company's Asia operations. Among the stolen materials were images of at least one unreleased device, according to the document filed on Wednesday.
This accusation emerges within the context of an ongoing legal dispute between Apple and OpenAI over trade secrets. The roles have now reversed, with OpenAI taking the offensive against Apple rather than defending itself against claims.
The case highlights the intense competition in the AI and consumer hardware sectors, where unreleased product plans and proprietary engineering data represent highly valuable intellectual property. Trade secret disputes between major technology firms have become increasingly common as companies race to develop new AI-powered devices and services.