OpenAI pushes back on Apple trade secret lawsuit

OpenAI pushed back Tuesday against allegations made by Apple in a trade secret lawsuit, suggesting the complaint lacks merit. “While we take these allegations seriously, we’re not aware of any evidence that this complaint has merit,” OpenAI said in a statement, first shared by Bloomberg reporter Ed…

OpenAI pushed back Tuesday against allegations made by Apple in a trade secret lawsuit, suggesting the complaint lacks merit. “While we take these allegations seriously, we’re not aware of any evidence that this complaint has merit,” OpenAI said in a statement, first shared by Bloomberg reporter Ed Ludlow on X. “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 statement comes several days after Apple filed a lawsuit against the AI lab, alleging that OpenAI employees, who previously worked at the iPhone maker, engaged in a coordinated effort to obtain confidential information and intellectual property. The 41-page complaint, filed Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, contains a string of allegations against OpenAI leadership, including Chief Hardware Officer Tang Tan. Before joining OpenAI, Tan was a veteran at Apple, where he worked for 24 years and held top positions, including vice president of product design for the iPhone and Apple Watch. This is the first time OpenAI commented on the case itself. In its initial statement hours after Apple filed its lawsuit, it proclaimed a lack of interest in technology developed by other companies, telling TechCrunch: “We have no interest in other companies’ trade secrets. We remain focused on building innovative technology that empowers people everywhere.” Apple claims in its lawsuit that its internal investigation uncovered evidence that OpenAI and its partners used the company’s confidential information as it develops its own hardware product. Reports, along with OpenAI’s recent acquisition of Jony Ive’s startup io, suggest the company is working on a device that could directly compete with Apple’s business. Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that OpenAI is working on a mobile, screen-free smart speaker, described by people familiar with the plans as a “humanlike AI companion” designed to live in the home. The device reportedly has no screen, includes moving mechanical elements, and is being built with input from several former Apple engineers who worked on the iPhone and Mac. TechCrunch has reached out to OpenAI for further comment and will update this article when the company responds. Topics AI, Apple, OpenAI When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence. Kirsten Korosec Transportation Editor Kirsten Korosec is a reporter and editor who has covered the future of transportation from EVs and autonomous vehicles to urban air mobility and in-car tech for more than a decade. She is currently the transportation editor at TechCrunch and co-host of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast. She is also co-founder and co-host of the podcast, “The Autonocast.” She previously wrote for Fortune, The Verge, Bloomberg, MIT Technology Review and CBS Interactive. You can contact or verify outreach from Kirsten by emailing kirsten.korosec@techcrunch.com or via encrypted message at kkorosec.07 on Signal. View Bio November 4 Boston Last chance to save up to $190 on TechCrunch Founder Summit. Join 1,000+ founders and VCs at all stages for real-world scaling insights and connections that move the needle.Savings end June 26, 11:59 p.m. PT. REGISTER NOW Most Popular Satya Nadella has issued a shocking warning to companies using AI Julie Bort The wildest allegations in Apple’s trade secrets lawsuit against OpenAI Sarah Perez Anthropic starts localizing Claude pricing for India, its biggest market after the US Jagmeet Singh Meta removes controversial AI feature on Instagram after backlash Lucas Ropek Apple sues OpenAI over alleged trade secret theft Sarah Perez Elon Musk praises Mythos/Fable, promises not to ‘cut off’ Anthropic Julie Bort Instagram users: Here’s how to stop Meta’s AI from using your photos Lauren Forristal

Source: TechCrunch AI — Published July 14, 2026 at 22:07 UTC — Category: Tools