“This much is clear, however; at every level, from members of its Technical Staff to its Chief Hardware Officer, and in coordination with business partners, OpenAI has been stealing Apple’s trade secrets and confidential information,” the lawsuit alleges.
Apple is suing OpenAI over allegations that the artificial intelligence start-up engaged in corporate espionage and stealing company secrets.
According to The New York Times, the lawsuit was filed Friday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. In legal filings, attorneys claimed that OpenAI regularly asks job candidates from Apple to share details about secret projects and bring device components and test prototypes to in-person interviews.
“These directions to bring Apple’s parts to OpenAI job interviews surprised at least one of the candidates, who commented that he ‘didn’t even know we could take these from the office,’” the lawsuit alleges.
“OpenAI has been instructing Apple employees to bring ‘CAD/design artifacts’ and ‘prototypes’ to their interviews and to divulge secrets about their work such as ‘subsystem and component selection,’ the ‘tools or methodologies you use for system integration, such as CAD software, simulation tools,’ and ‘Vendor selection and communication/collaboration with vendors.’”
Apple also said that an OpenAI employee downloaded, or attempted to download, sensitive internal documents from a company-owned laptop. That employee, as well as OpenAI’s top-level hardware executive, are named as defendants in the lawsuit; both worked at Apple before moving to OpenAI.
“This much is clear, however; at every level, from members of its Technical Staff to its Chief Hardware Officer, and in coordination with business partners, OpenAI has been stealing Apple’s trade secrets and confidential information,” the lawsuit alleges.
“Recently, significant evidence has emerged suggesting individuals employed by OpenAI wrongfully took Apple’s secret and confidential information regarding our unreleased technologies, processes, and products,” Apple told CNBC in a statement.
In February, attorneys for Apple sent a letter to OpenAI sharing the company’s concern that confidential information could be “making its way to OpenAI’s business improperly.” OpenAI never responded to the letter.
“OpenAI’s nascent hardware business now rests on the shakiest of foundations rotten to its core by its illegal reliance on misappropriated trade secrets,” Apple lawyers wrote in the lawsuit.
OpenAI, for its part, has denied all of Apple’s allegations.
“We have no interest in other companies’ trade secrets,” OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri said. “We remain focused on building innovative technology that empowers people everywhere.”
But, in its lawsuit, Apple said the allegations detailed in its complaint are but “the tip of the iceberg.”
“This is the tip of the iceberg,” Apple wrote. “Apple lacks visibility into what’s been happening behind closed doors at OpenAI, where such misconduct is normalized and exemplified by leadership.”
Apple is seeking compensatory damages as well as a court order enjoining OpenAI from continuing to use Apple’s trade secrets.
Sources
Apple sues OpenAI, accuses ex-employees of stealing trade secrets
Apple Sues OpenAI, Accusing It of Stealing Company Secrets
Apple sues OpenAI alleging trade secret theft, says scheme was ‘at every level’
Apple sues OpenAI, two former employees for trade secrets theft
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