OpenAI has moved to throw out Apple’s lawsuit accusing the company of misusing confidential information to accelerate its ambitions in consumer hardware, arguing that the technology it is developing bears little resemblance to anything created inside the iPhone maker.
In a motion filed before a U.S. court on Wednesday, OpenAI rejected allegations that it benefited from Apple’s proprietary knowledge through former employees and industry relationships. The company insisted that it neither sought nor required Apple’s trade secrets, describing its hardware plans as “entirely new and different.”
The legal clash erupted after Apple alleged last month that OpenAI, along with two former Apple employees, systematically gained access to confidential information as part of a broader push into the consumer-device market. According to Apple, the strategy was aimed at speeding up the development of AI-powered products that could eventually compete with traditional smartphones.
OpenAI, however, argued that Apple’s complaint lacks the specificity required to support a trade-secret case. Its lawyers contended that the lawsuit relies on broad references to product development categories without clearly identifying the information that deserves legal protection.
The company further maintained that Apple had failed to establish ownership of any legally protectable trade secrets or provide convincing evidence that any of the defendants had improperly used such information.
In unusually sharp language, OpenAI accused Apple of attempting to use litigation to compensate for what it described as shortcomings in attracting and retaining talent, as well as delays in integrating advanced artificial intelligence into its own products.
The dispute underscores a growing battle over the future of AI-driven consumer devices. Industry observers have speculated that OpenAI is exploring hardware products—possibly including a smartphone alternative—that could shift users away from conventional app-based ecosystems dominated by companies such as Apple.
Despite the courtroom fight, the two companies remain business partners in other areas. Apple’s ecosystem already incorporates ChatGPT through Siri integrations, while iPhone users can subscribe to ChatGPT services directly from the device settings menu.
The case is shaping up as more than a disagreement over intellectual property. At stake is the question of who will define the next generation of personal technology in an era increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.
