OpenAI stated it is not aware of any evidence supporting Apple's trade-secret theft lawsuit
Apple filed the lawsuit alleging OpenAI took proprietary technology to develop AI-powered devices
The lawsuit targets OpenAI's chief hardware officer for allegedly soliciting Apple product components during interviews
OpenAI Denies Apple's Allegations On Trade Secret Theft, Says Lawsuit Has No Merit
Apple filed its lawsuit in the US District Court on July 10, the legal action targets the chief hardware officer at OpenAI, who previously led iPhone design
OpenAI Denies Apple's Allegations On Trade Secret Theft, Says Lawsuit Has No Merit
Summary
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The US-based artificial intelligence (AI) company OpenAI denied stealing Apple's trade secrets, stating that the lawsuit filed by the tech giant has no merit.
"While we take these allegations seriously, we're not aware of any evidence that this complaint has merit," OpenAI said in a statement on Tuesday, as per a report by Bloomberg.
The company further said that it believes in fair competition by allowing individual freedom to work wherever they chose. "We believe in fair competition and allowing people the freedom to work wherever they choose, and we’re focused on building innovative technology that empowers people everywhere," the OpenAI statement read.
The statement comes days after Apple filed a lawsuit against the AI company on July 10, alleging that it has stolen trade secrets through former Apple employees.
OpenAI had denied initially stated it had no interest in other companies' trade secrets and was focused on building its own new technology.
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What Apple's Lawsuit Says
Apple filed its lawsuit in the US District Court on July 10. The legal action targets the OpenAI's chief hardware officer Chang Liu and former Apple engineer Tang Yew Tan.
The iPhone maker also alleged that OpenAI created a method to assist Apple workers in bypassing security protocols.
Apple is now is seeking financial costs and damages along with court orders stopping OpenAI from accessing confidential information. It also seeks return of the company property from former employees.
xAI and OpenAI Lawsuit
The legal battle with Apple follows a recent courtroom victory for OpenAI against Elon Musk's artificial intelligence venture, xAI.
In June 2026, US District Judge Rita Lin dismissed a similar trade-secret lawsuit filed by xAI. The judge ruled that xAI failed to prove OpenAI pressured former engineer Xuechen Li to share proprietary details about its Grok model.
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Judge Lin determined that questioning job applicants about prior professional experience is standard recruitment behavior. Such inquiries do not indicate intellectual property theft, the judge said.
OpenAI maintained it had no use for the proprietary data of xAI, calling the claims baseless.