In a court filing submitted today, OpenAI asserts that a former staff member who moved to Apple transmitted “over a hundred highly confidential files about at least one unreleased OpenAI device under development to his personal accounts.” Apple, however, informed Reuters that it has uncovered no evidence backing these claims.
This marks the latest twist in the ongoing trade secrets litigation between Apple and OpenAI. Apple initiated the lawsuit in July, alleging that former employees pilfered trade secrets to aid OpenAI. In August, Apple disclosed what it termed “shocking evidence” stemming from an early forensic examination of a laptop used by a former engineer who departed for OpenAI.
According to today’s filing, OpenAI states:
Based on a recent and ongoing forensic investigation arising from this lawsuit, OpenAI has learned that a former OpenAI employee (who joined OpenAI from Apple, worked for OpenAI for six months, and has now returned to Apple) sent over a hundred highly confidential files about at least one unreleased OpenAI device under development to his personal accounts.
The files at issue include detailed images of the unreleased device(s), as well as highly confidential engineering and manufacturing data about the device(s). The files also include supplier information and project files, standards for cosmetic finishes, and reports regarding coating and sealing of hardware components.
OpenAI further alleges that the files were sent on June 2, 2026, the employee’s last day at the company. The employee also reportedly “made a presentation about OpenAI’s plans to Apple’s senior leadership, including Apple’s vice president of operations in Asia.”
“That presentation appears to have happened months ago—and now, armed with that information, Apple is making a new push into AI-enabled products,” OpenAI writes.
OpenAI expresses deep concern that its trade secrets and confidential information are now circulating within Apple, where Apple engineers could shape upcoming products based on OpenAI’s confidential and innovative work.
OpenAI has raised these issues directly with Apple, but to date, Apple has not provided the requested assurances that it is not in possession of, and has not used, OpenAI’s trade secret and confidential information.
OpenAI is very concerned that its trade secret and confidential information is now circulating inside Apple, where Apple engineers can shape Apple’s upcoming products based on OpenAI’s confidential and innovative work.
OpenAI has raised these issues directly with Apple, but to date, Apple has not provided OpenAI with the requested assurances that Apple is not in possession of, and has not used, OpenAI’s trade secret and confidential information.
Apple, however, maintains that it has found no evidence supporting OpenAI’s allegations. As reported by Reuters, Apple has “policies and procedures in place to ensure new employees do not use confidential information from previous employers.”
You can review OpenAI’s full filing below.
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