{"id":3491585,"date":"2026-08-06T15:10:32","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T15:10:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/06\/openai-states-that-apples-internal-security-measures-weaken-its-case-regarding-trade-secrets\/"},"modified":"2026-08-06T15:10:32","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T15:10:32","slug":"openai-states-that-apples-internal-security-measures-weaken-its-case-regarding-trade-secrets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/06\/openai-states-that-apples-internal-security-measures-weaken-its-case-regarding-trade-secrets\/","title":{"rendered":"OpenAI states that Apple\u2019s internal security measures weaken its case regarding trade secrets."},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n
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OpenAI\u2019s request to dismiss Apple\u2019s trade secrets lawsuit, coupled with newly submitted exhibits, underscores the company\u2019s legal strategy. Instead of investigating whether former Apple employees at OpenAI accessed specific information, the AI firm contends that Apple\u2019s own security measures and departure protocols undermine its assertion that the information qualifies as legally protected \u201ctrade secrets.\u201d<\/p>\n

Apple\u2019s lawsuit, lodged in July, alleges that OpenAI engineered a scheme to acquire confidential hardware data from ex-Apple engineers. This week, Apple urged the court to accelerate discovery, stating that its internal inquiry suggests additional former employees may have taken part in, or observed, the supposed misappropriation of trade secrets.<\/p>\n

In its filing, OpenAI maintains that Apple permitted employees to utilize personal iCloud accounts for work and neglected to properly revoke access post-departure. It also provided text message records showing that an Apple manager stayed logged into the personal iCloud account of defendant and ex-Apple engineer Chang Liu after his departure to transfer files, later reaching out for technical assistance regarding Apple projects.<\/p>\n

OpenAI further claims Apple failed to include the implications of its own \u201cinexplicable information-management practices\u201d in its initial complaint, highlighting that the company did not adequately secure its systems when employees left, leading to confusion and unauthorized access issues that Apple now describes as theft.<\/p>\n

Although this may resemble a \u201cthe door was unlocked, so it wasn\u2019t really stealing!\u201d defense, this argument aims to bolster OpenAI\u2019s position that former Apple employees were merely attempting to aid their previous colleagues. It could also help advance the idea that these data were not genuinely trade secrets if they were not protected as such.<\/p>\n

OpenAI contends that Apple has not clarified which \u201ctrade secrets\u201d or confidential elements were purportedly stolen, instead categorizing them as \u201cgeneric categories of the product-development process\u2014such as component manufacturing, product testing, vendor and supplier relationships, and distribution channels.\u201d<\/p>\n

OpenAI\u2019s submission suggests that Apple is leveraging this lawsuit to hinder its competitor from progressing in AI-driven hardware, rather than prioritizing its own product strategies.<\/p>\n

\u201cOpenAI has no use, need, or interest in Apple\u2019s trade secrets,\u201d the filing asserts. \u201cOpenAI is creating something entirely new and distinct from anything at Apple. OpenAI is interested in hiring the best engineers, inventors, developers, and creators\u2014many of whom have opted to leave Apple to join OpenAI, drawn by the innovative and thrilling work the company is doing. Apple might not appreciate that,\u201d it states.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026Apple should not be allowed to utilize a baseless and pretextual lawsuit to compensate for its
shortcomings in the talent market and in retaining its employees, and its failures to incorporate AI into its products,\u201d the filing concludes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn\u2019t affect our editorial independence.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/div>\n
\n

OpenAI\u2019s request to dismiss Apple\u2019s trade secrets lawsuit, coupled with newly submitted exhibits, underscores the company\u2019s legal strategy. Instead of investigating whether former Apple employees at OpenAI accessed specific information, the AI firm contends that Apple\u2019s own security measures and departure protocols undermine its assertion that the information qualifies as legally protected \u201ctrade secrets.\u201d<\/p>\n

Apple\u2019s lawsuit, lodged in July, alleges that OpenAI engineered a scheme to acquire confidential hardware data from ex-Apple engineers. This week, Apple urged the court to accelerate discovery, stating that its internal inquiry suggests additional former employees may have taken part in, or observed, the supposed misappropriation of trade secrets.<\/p>\n

In its filing, OpenAI maintains that Apple permitted employees to utilize personal iCloud accounts for work and neglected to properly revoke access post-departure. It also provided text message records showing that an Apple manager stayed logged into the personal iCloud account of defendant and ex-Apple engineer Chang Liu after his departure to transfer files, later reaching out for technical assistance regarding Apple projects.<\/p>\n

OpenAI further claims Apple failed to include the implications of its own \u201cinexplicable information-management practices\u201d in its initial complaint, highlighting that the company did not adequately secure its systems when employees left, leading to confusion and unauthorized access issues that Apple now describes as theft.<\/p>\n

Although this may resemble a \u201cthe door was unlocked, so it wasn\u2019t really stealing!\u201d defense, this argument aims to bolster OpenAI\u2019s position that former Apple employees were merely attempting to aid their previous colleagues. It could also help advance the idea that these data were not genuinely trade secrets if they were not protected as such.<\/p>\n

OpenAI contends that Apple has not clarified which \u201ctrade secrets\u201d or confidential elements were purportedly stolen, instead categorizing them as \u201cgeneric categories of the product-development process\u2014such as component manufacturing, product testing, vendor and supplier relationships, and distribution channels.\u201d<\/p>\n

OpenAI\u2019s submission suggests that Apple is leveraging this lawsuit to hinder its competitor from progressing in AI-driven hardware, rather than prioritizing its own product strategies.<\/p>\n

\u201cOpenAI has no use, need, or interest in Apple\u2019s trade secrets,\u201d the filing asserts. \u201cOpenAI is creating something entirely new and distinct from anything at Apple. OpenAI is interested in hiring the best engineers, inventors, developers, and creators\u2014many of whom have opted to leave Apple to join OpenAI, drawn by the innovative and thrilling work the company is doing. Apple might not appreciate that,\u201d it states.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026Apple should not be allowed to utilize a baseless and pretextual lawsuit to compensate for its
shortcomings in the talent market and in retaining its employees, and its failures to incorporate AI into its products,\u201d the filing concludes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn\u2019t affect our editorial independence.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3491586,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3491585","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3491585"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3491585"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3491585\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3491586"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3491585"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3491585"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3491585"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}