Apple Requests Preliminary Injunction Against OpenAI in Escalating Trade Secrets Legal Battle

Apple seeks preliminary injunction against OpenAI in trade secrets case

Aug 3 (Reuters) - Apple on Monday asked a U.S. judge for a preliminary injunction barring two former employees and OpenAI from accessing, acquiring, using or disclosing alleged confidential information as it moves ahead with its trade secrets case. Apple last month sued OpenAI and the two former employees, both now working for OpenAI, alleging misappropriation of its trade secrets to benefit the ChatGPT-owner's foray into consumer hardware, a dramatic escalation of already simmering tension between the two companies. The iPhone maker also filed a concurrent motion on Monday seeking expedited discovery, including production of documents ⁠relating to the defendants' alleged access of Apple's proprietary and trade secret information. It asked the judge to order the two former Apple employees named in the lawsuit, Chang Liu and Tang Yew Tan, to sit for depositions, along with OpenAI employee Yu-Ting Peng and an unnamed OpenAI employee who previously worked at Apple. Liu is a former Apple senior system electrical engineer while Tan is Apple's former vice president of product design for iPhone and Apple Watch. Apple also sought depositions from corporate representatives of OpenAI and io ⁠Products, which is OpenAI's commercial arm and is listed as a defendant in the lawsuit. "Apple will be irreparably harmed absent a preliminary injunction," it said in a filing. "Apple's request for a preliminary injunction is both based on false information and completely unnecessary because we do not ⁠have, nor want, any of their trade secrets," OpenAI said in a blogpost late on Monday. Apple's lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, comes after OpenAI ⁠successfully fended off a legal challenge from Elon Musk's xAI. The lawsuit sets up a battle over the control of future AI devices that may not use traditional apps or operating ⁠systems -- devices which, if successful, would direct consumer attention away from Apple's best-selling iPhone. Analysts believe OpenAI is working on a phone or other device of its own. Reporting by Sumedha Mukherjee and Shubham Kalia in Bengaluru; Editing by Kate Mayberry Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

OpenAI hits back at Apple over 'oddly personal' trade secrets fight

Legal clash deepens after an AI partnership over devices gives way to acrimony OpenAI has accused Apple of waging a "careless, aggressive and oddly personal lawsuit" in a blog post rebutting the iPhone maker's claims that the AI start-up stole top-secret information. "We do not have, nor want, any of their trade secrets," the ChatGPT maker wrote on Monday evening, accusing Apple of "making vague accusations" and "trying to change their narrative". The post marks the latest escalation in a dispute that began last month when Apple filed a lawsuit claiming OpenAI had stolen hardware designs as it planned to launch its own AI-focused consumer devices. The dispute comes as the two companies encroach on each other's territory, with OpenAI venturing into consumer products and Apple joining forces with Google to revamp its Siri voice assistant. OpenAI and Apple had previously partnered to integrate AI technology into Apple's products. But the relationship began to sour after OpenAI last year acquired io, the design studio founded by former Apple design chief Sir Jony Ive, and hired a string of Apple employees. Apple alleged in its lawsuit that more than 400 of its former employees now worked at OpenAI. It said it had received no response from OpenAI in February after contacting the start-up to warn it of an internal investigation into the potential theft of Apple's trade secrets. OpenAI said Apple's lawyers had "emailed the wrong person after confusing two Asian last names" and "claimed they had a discussion with our General Counsel, which they now concede never happened". The start-up said Apple "never raised the specific allegations in this lawsuit at that time" and "in fact told us that they were 'resolving any issues'. We then heard nothing for five months until they sued." Apple alleged in its lawsuit that Chang Liu, a former employee who worked on some of its "most sensitive product development programs", accessed Apple's trade secrets after leaving the company in January. However OpenAI said Apple employees had themselves contacted Liu "and asked for his help to locate this information", something the iPhone maker "only now admits". Apple also named in its lawsuit a second former employee, OpenAI's chief hardware officer Tang Tan, whom it accused of seeking out proprietary information when interviewing Apple's employees. "Tang has always been clear with the team that we do not want, and must not use, any confidential information from other companies," wrote OpenAI. Apple on Monday sought a preliminary injunction in the US to prevent former employees and OpenAI from accessing, using or disclosing its trade secrets. It also filed a second motion asking the court to expedite discovery and order several OpenAI employees, including Liu and Tan, to sit for depositions. OpenAI said Apple's request for a preliminary injunction was "both based on false information and completely unnecessary because we do not have, nor want, any of their trade secrets". "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," the ChatGPT maker wrote. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Apple seeks preliminary injunction against OpenAI in trade secrets case

Apple has requested a judge to prevent former employees and OpenAI from using confidential information. The tech giant is suing OpenAI and two ex-employees for trade secret theft. Apple also filed a motion seeking expedited discovery of relevant documents. The lawsuit aims to protect Apple's future hardware innovations from competitors. OpenAI denies any wrongdoing and states they do not want Apple's trade secrets. Apple on Monday asked a US judge for a preliminary injunction barring two former employees and OpenAI from accessing, acquiring, using or disclosing alleged confidential information as it moves ahead with its trade secrets case. Apple last month sued OpenAI and the two former employees, both now working for OpenAI, ⁠alleging misappropriation ⁠of its trade secrets to benefit the ChatGPT-owner's foray into consumer hardware, a dramatic escalation of already simmering tension between the two companies. The iPhone maker also filed a concurrent motion on Monday seeking expedited discovery, including production of documents relating to the defendants' alleged access of Apple's proprietary and trade secret information. It asked the judge to order the two former Apple employees named in the ⁠lawsuit, Chang Liu and Tang Yew Tan, to sit for depositions, along with OpenAI employee Yu-Ting Peng and an unnamed OpenAI employee who previously ⁠worked at Apple. Liu is a former Apple senior system electrical engineer while Tan is Apple's former vice president of product design for iPhone and Apple Watch. Apple also sought depositions from corporate representatives of OpenAI and io Products, which is OpenAI's commercial arm and is listed as a defendant in the lawsuit. "Apple will be irreparably harmed absent a preliminary injunction," it said in a filing. "Apple's request for a preliminary injunction is both based on false information and completely unnecessary because we do not have, nor want, any of their trade secrets," OpenAI said in a blog post late on ⁠Monday. Apple's lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, comes after OpenAI successfully fended off a legal challenge from Elon Musk's xAI. The lawsuit sets up a battle over the control of future AI devices that may not use traditional apps or operating systems - devices which, if successful, would direct consumer attention away from Apple's best-selling iPhone. Analysts believe OpenAI is working on a phone or other device of its own.

OpenAI hits back at Apple trade secret lawsuit, says iPhone maker got key facts wrong

OpenAI defended former Apple executive Tang Tan and said it has no interest in using Apple's confidential information. OpenAI has openly pushed back against Apple's trade secret lawsuit accusing the iPhone maker of filing a case based on inaccurate claims and failing to engage with the company before taking legal action. In a statement, OpenAI described the lawsuit as careless and said it does not reflect Apple's reputation for paying attention to detail. Among the key disputes, one of the major ones revolves around Apple's claim that it contacted OpenAI in February regarding concerns over former Apple employees. OpenAI says Apple has now admitted that its outside legal counsel mistakenly emailed the wrong person after confusing two individuals with similar surnames. The company also rejected Apple's assertion that its General Counsel had spoken with Apple's lawyers stating no such discussion ever took place. As per OpenAI, Apple never mentioned the specific allegation that later appeared in the lawsuit. Instead, the company claims Apple's legal representatives indicated they were resolving the issue before remaining silent for nearly five months and eventually filing the case. Also read: Samsung Galaxy S25 to get Rs 15,000 price cut on Flipkart Freedom Sale The company also challenged Apple's allegations against former Apple engineer Chang Liu. The company published screenshots of iMessage conversations that it says show Apple employees contacted Liu after he left the company, asking him to help locate files and answer technical questions related to ongoing projects. OpenAI argued that the continued access was the result of Apple's own failure to revoke internal permissions after employees departed rather than any deliberate attempt by Liu to retain confidential information. The AI company has also defended Tang Tan, the former Apple executive who joined OpenAI earlier this year. The company stated that Tan has repeatedly instructed employees not to bring confidential material from previous employers and noted that he spent more than 24 years at Apple, where he earned a reputation as one of the company's leading product innovators. OpenAI also stated that it has no interest in Apple's confidential information and would have been willing to discuss the concerns before the lawsuit was filed. It also called Apple's request for preliminary injunction as unnecessary. The company also released email exchanges and internal messages stating Apple's legal team mistakenly contacted the wrong person and that former Apple employees were approached by Apple staff for assistance even after leaving the company.