OpenAI counters Apple trade secrets case with internal evidence
In July, Apple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI accusing it of stealing the company’s confidential data
OpenAI vs Apple battle over trade secret lawsuit has escalated as the US-based artificial intelligence company counters Apple's allegations with internal messages.
In July, Apple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI accusing it of stealing the company’s confidential data and hardware manufacturing processes to make their own consumer products.
In a recent blogpost, ChatGPT-maker company hit back at the iPhone maker with internal evidence while characterizing the lawsuit as aggressive, and unnecessarily personal.
Errors in Apple's legal claims & communications
Apple previously claimed that OpenAI failed to respond to a February contact, but has since admitted their outside lawyers emailed the wrong person due to confusing two Asian last names.
For instance, Apple’s outside counsel, Gabriel Gross, mistakenly emailed OpenAI’s General Counsel, Che Chang, instead of a former employee named Wang.
Apple also admitted that a claimed discussion with OpenAI’s General Counsel never actually took place.
As per blogpost, Apple never raised these specific allegations before filing suit and went silent for 5 months after initial communications.
Residual access issue
In a lawsuit, Apple accused former employee Chang Liu of accessing confidential information after leaving. But the messages disclosed by OpenAI showed that the employees actively reached out to Liu after his departure and asked him to locate the files.
Now, Apple shifts blame to "residual access," which the statement notes is a common internal issue caused by Apple's failure to properly manage system access when employees depart.
Regarding the accusation against Apple-leader Tang Tan, he already made it clear that the team does not want and must not use confidential information from other companies.
According to OpenAI, the company would have clarified these issues had Apple raised them before launching a lawsuit. “they have offered to work with Apple to resolve the matter.”
Recently, Apple also sought a preliminary injunction by asking the US judge to bar two former employees and OpenAI “from accessing, acquiring, using or disclosing alleged confidential information as it moves ahead with its trade secrets case.”
“Apple’s request for a preliminary injunction is both based on false information and completely unnecessary because we do not have, nor want, any of their trade secrets. We’re much more interested in building innovative products and technologies that push the frontier,” OpenAI wrote.
