Apple’s legal fight with OpenAI over alleged trade secret misuse has taken a new turn. A report stated that the conversation between the two companies stopped after an email mix-up. The issue reportedly involved Apple’s legal team contacting the wrong OpenAI employee during discussions over its concerns.
According to an NBC News report, Apple contacted OpenAI in February to discuss allegations that former Apple employees may have shared confidential hardware information while joining OpenAI’s device efforts. Apple’s lawsuit states that the ChatGPT-maker did not respond to these concerns. The report, however, claims OpenAI had replied before communication broke down.
The reported communication issue involved two OpenAI employees with the surnames Wang and Chang. Apple’s legal team allegedly confused their identities and email addresses, leading to a breakdown in further discussions. The dispute later moved to court, with Apple accusing OpenAI of benefiting from confidential information taken by former Apple engineers.
The company claims the information could have helped OpenAI develop consumer-focused AI hardware products. The latter has denied allegations and said Apple has not provided evidence supporting the claims. The company has also defended employees’ ability to move between companies and compete in the technology industry.
Apple’s complaint names former executive Tang Yew Tan and former senior engineer Chang Liu as defendants. The tech firm alleges that Liu kept a company laptop and accessed internal systems to download confidential hardware files after leaving the company.
The complaint also accuses Tang, who now leads OpenAI’s hardware efforts, of sending himself supplier details and internal documents before departing. The iPhone-maker has argued that hiring former employees does not permit companies to use confidential information to develop competing products.
The lawsuit shows a growing competition in the AI hardware space. Apple claims OpenAI’s hardware plans have benefited from former Apple talent, with hundreds of ex-Apple employees now working at the AI company. The case also includes io Products, the AI hardware startup OpenAI acquired last year.
Its co-founder Jony Ive has not been named as a defendant in the lawsuit. The legal battle is expected to continue as both companies defend their positions over employee movement, confidential information, and the future of AI-powered devices.
Also Read: Apple Sues OpenAI Over Massive Trade Secret Theft: Are OpenAI’s AI Hardware Dreams at Risk?