The Zhitong Finance App learned that according to industry analysis, Apple (AAPL.US) recently filed a lawsuit against OpenAI accusing it of systematically stealing Apple's intellectual property rights. This legal action may have dealt a substantial blow to OpenAI's hardware equipment ambitions before the dust settles on the case.
In a lawsuit already filed last week, the iPhone maker claims that OpenAI not only requires former Apple employees, even potential candidates, to join the company with information about unreleased products. Apple also alleges that OpenAI had guided new recruits on how to circumvent Apple's security procedures, and that the operation list referred to in the evasion plan actually came from Apple's former iPhone design director.
Apple is seeking financial compensation and is requesting the court to issue an injunction ordering OpenAI to stop related acts and destroy all proprietary materials. Although the legal ruling may take months or even years to be implemented, the ripple effect of the lawsuit itself is likely to be even more immediate — this legal dispute may slow down OpenAI's talent recruitment and product development process.
OpenAI declined to comment on its hardware plans. However, in response to Friday's lawsuit, the company said it “has no interest in other companies' trade secrets” and will “continue to focus on developing innovative technology.”
Brain drain has become the trigger, and OpenAI has become the “number one prospector” for Apple hardware
For Apple, this game with OpenAI is about the whole story. This San Francisco-based artificial intelligence (AI) company has “dug” out of Apple's hardware division in recent years, leading to a serious loss of talent from various teams responsible for core products such as the iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods.
In some cases, OpenAI's intensive investigation of the engineering team — especially the iPhone product design team — has forced Apple to rebuild part of the team.
According to statistics, OpenAI currently employs more than 400 former Apple employees. In order to attract these talents, OpenAI's compensation plan is so tempting that Apple recently had to pay a rare high retention bonus in response. Apple even sent out a number of executives to personally persuade senior engineers to stay in office.
Over the past few months, the loss of trade secrets has become one of Apple's biggest concerns. It is no less urgent than the threat of tariffs and the rare shortage of memory chips in the industry.
By attracting hundreds of former Apple engineers, along with legendary designer Jony Ive (Jony Ive) and others, and leveraging industry-leading AI technology, OpenAI has the potential to become Apple's strongest hardware rival for many years. This trend comes at a time when Apple itself is still catching up in the AI field and is making major adjustments to the hardware organizational structure.
Even Apple executives acknowledge the disruptive potential brought about by AI. In court testimony in the Google (GOOGL.US) search antitrust case last year, Eddy Cue (Eddy Cue), head of Apple services, warned that AI technology may reshape the equipment market pattern. “After 10 years, you probably won't need an iPhone anymore — as crazy as it sounds,” he said.
The lawsuit “hurt before trial” casts a shadow over OpenAI recruitment and R&D
Apple emphasized in the legal document that the core of this case is a trade secret, adding that OpenAI's hardware work is still in its infancy. “The purpose of this lawsuit and subsequent investigation of evidence is to uncover and begin correcting the systematic misuse of Apple's trade secrets,” Apple said.
However, the lawsuit itself has harmed OpenAI's potential to build a real iPhone competitor. The related accusations, combined with potential investigations and external questions about its methods, are enough to make many Apple employees re-examine their plans to switch jobs to OpenAI.
Even an interview with OpenAI may cause Apple employees to face scrutiny by the company's security team and management. This alone could slow OpenAI's recruitment process, keep more engineers at Apple, and reduce internal knowledge flowing into OpenAI — an effect that is already evident even without a court ruling.
In addition to the recruitment level, the lawsuit could reshape OpenAI's engineering culture. Former Apple employees may be reluctant to discuss their past work, and management may also avoid asking certain technical questions for fear of touching Apple's confidential information. The result will be a cautious organizational climate.
The lawsuit is also likely to add more internal process links to OpenAI, including new legal reviews, stricter internal control mechanisms, and compliance training—all of which will take up engineers' time for development. OpenAI executives are also bound to spend a great deal of energy cooperating with lawyers, participating in evidence disclosure, and being questioned. Various factors can slow down the progress of product development.
In the long run, if Apple finally proves that OpenAI incorporates the former trade secrets into the upcoming device, the AI startup may be forced to redesign the product. This would be the same as the previous settlement between Apple and chip startup Rivos — which eventually agreed to reset some of its processor technology.
The first product may be launched as planned, but long-term expansion variables have increased
According to people familiar with the matter, after Apple filed a lawsuit, OpenAI still believes that its first product can be released this year as planned and officially launched in 2027. However, the source also said that as the details of Apple's lawsuit gradually come to light, there is still a possibility that this schedule will change. As the information has not been made public, the person requested anonymity.
However, even if the development of the first product has entered an advanced stage, it is now bound to face even greater challenges to quickly build the “device family” previously described by OpenAI. According to reports, OpenAI has explored various categories including smart speakers and wearable devices, but its ultimate goal is still to launch a product that rivals the iPhone. Before that, a non-mobile device that is more simplified than a smartphone may be the first to appear.
At the same time, Apple itself is also promoting AI-driven wearable devices, including the new AirPods, a pendant device, and smart glasses; it is also developing a series of household products, such as desktop robots, smart home control centers with facial recognition functions, and security systems.
The analysis stated, “Apple is likely to obtain targeted initial relief measures in terms of the OpenAI hardware project. The relevant ruling may require OpenAI to segregate the disputed materials, preserve evidence, and issue a certificate of compliance, which may slow down the progress of its hardware plans.”
The supply chain may become an invisible constraint, and whether OpenAI can break through is still in doubt
Another key factor is the supply chain. Although Asia has the largest electronics manufacturing industry in the world, there is not a large circle of core suppliers that are deeply involved in the consumer electronics sector. Given Apple's dominant market position, when deepening cooperation with OpenAI, suppliers inevitably worry about whether this move will affect their relationship with Apple, a larger and more mature partner, and may even plunge themselves into legal disputes.
Admittedly, OpenAI has what it sees as the top engineering team in Silicon Valley, the legal resources to respond to Apple's accusations, and the help of former Apple executives such as Ive and Tang Tan (Tang Tan) — their long-term relationships with suppliers, investors, and other key partners may help the company mitigate the impact and ensure that hardware plans are not derailed.
Whether Apple can ultimately prove its accusations in court, the lawsuit has created a perception that OpenAI cannot escape. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman (Sam Altman) posted on the X platform last Saturday that he “is not afraid of Apple” and has “great respect” for the company.
Apple, on the other hand, gave a completely different attitude in the lawsuit. Apple wrote, “OpenAI's hardware business is now built on the weakest foundation, and its core is decaying due to illegal reliance on stolen trade secrets.”
Before this case goes to a judge or jury, Apple may have achieved an achievement no less than winning in court — slowing down the competitor most committed to starting the “post-iPhone era.”