OpenAI has accused a former employee who returned to Apple of transferring more than 100 confidential files related to an unreleased device to personal accounts. The allegation, made in a new court filing on October 14, adds another twist to the increasingly bitter legal dispute between the two technology giants.
According to OpenAI, the files contained detailed product images, engineering information, manufacturing data and supplier details. The company also alleges that the former employee presented information about its unreleased product to senior Apple executives months before the latest developments in Apple's AI hardware business. Apple, however, says it has found no evidence supporting the allegations.
What OpenAI Says Was Taken
OpenAI's filing describes a collection of materials connected to at least one device still under development. These reportedly included project documents, hardware engineering details, specifications for cosmetic finishes and reports covering the coating and sealing of components.
The company alleges that the employee sent the files to personal accounts on June 2, 2026, the final day of their employment at OpenAI. The individual had joined OpenAI from Apple, worked there for around six months and subsequently returned to the iPhone maker.
OpenAI is concerned that the information could now be accessible within Apple and potentially influence its own product development. However, the allegations have not been established in court.
Apple Rejects the Allegations
Apple has pushed back against OpenAI's claims, saying it has policies designed to prevent new employees from using confidential information belonging to previous employers. The company also told Reuters that it had found no evidence to support OpenAI's accusations.
The dispute comes as both companies compete in the expanding AI hardware market. OpenAI has been developing its own consumer devices, while Apple continues to expand its AI-enabled product ecosystem.
OpenAI's filing links the alleged presentation to Apple's recent push into AI-related products, but it has not publicly established that the information was used to develop any particular Apple device.
A Wider Trade Secrets Battle
The latest allegations are part of a lawsuit originally brought by Apple, which accused former employees of taking confidential information to OpenAI. OpenAI has denied wrongdoing and argued that it developed its products independently.
The case has become a dispute over competing claims of trade-secret misuse, employee conduct and access to proprietary hardware information. Both companies are seeking to protect their product-development processes as they move further into AI-powered consumer devices.
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What Happens Next?
OpenAI has asked the court for an opportunity to investigate the alleged conduct and potentially pursue counterclaims. The legal proceedings will determine how the competing allegations are handled.
For now, the central question remains unresolved: whether confidential OpenAI files were improperly transferred and, if so, whether they were accessed or used at Apple.