OpenAI counters Apple trade secrets suit: Apple's own security lapses enabled access

Apple filed its complaint in July, accusing OpenAI of orchestrating a scheme to obtain confidential hardware information from former Apple engineers. The lawsuit centers on whether proprietary information was misappropriated during employee transitions. OpenAI's defense strategy pivots away from disputing the facts of data access and instead attacks Apple's foundational claim that the information was adequately protected as trade secrets under the law.

The motion reveals that Apple's internal investigation has identified additional former employees who may have been involved, and the company has now asked the court to expedite discovery—a procedural move that suggests Apple views the case as time-sensitive. However, OpenAI's framing of Apple's security gaps serves a dual purpose: it weakens the "trade secret" classification (which requires reasonable protective measures) and recharacterizes employee assistance as a natural consequence of Apple's own negligence rather than deliberate theft. OpenAI also argues the lawsuit is pretextual—a way for Apple to address its competitive weakness in AI-hardware talent and market positioning rather than genuine intellectual property protection.