Apple has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing the company of stealing trade secrets to build its own hardware for ChatGPT. The lawsuit claims that OpenAI encouraged Apple employees to share confidential information, even guiding them on how to avoid scrutiny when taking jobs at the other company.
Background of the Lawsuit
The lawsuit names two former Apple employees, Tang Tan and Chang Liu, who now work for OpenAI. Tan, who helped design the iPhone, Apple Watch, and iPod, is now OpenAI’s chief hardware officer. Liu, a former electrical engineer at Apple, is accused of accessing and downloading confidential hardware-related files on an Apple-issued device after leaving the company.
Apple began investigating whether some of its confidential information was compromised and uncovered a pattern of theft of Apple’s trade secrets by former employees who moved on to positions at OpenAI. The lawsuit alleges that OpenAI’s nascent hardware business is built partly on knowledge stolen from Apple.
OpenAI has stated that it is still reviewing the filing and has no interest in other companies’ trade secrets. The company remains focused on building innovative technology that empowers people everywhere.
Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
