The Zhitong Finance App learned that OpenAI is applying to a federal judge to dismiss the lawsuit brought by Apple (AAPL.US). Apple accuses the artificial intelligence company of stealing trade secrets. OpenAI claims that Apple's accusations have no factual basis.
OpenAI's lawyers say Apple's lawsuit misdescribes the behavior of the startup's employees. They claim that when interviewing Apple employees, the hardware business executives of ChatGPT developers acted in line with industry-wide recruitment regulations; the employee accused of stealing secrets was actually trying to assist his former Apple colleague.
In court documents submitted on Wednesday evening, OpenAI stated, “Apple's lawsuit was apparently filed without full investigation. It was based on content taken from chat transcripts and ordinary acts that were out of context. Using Apple's own wording, the lawsuit 'already sucks from the ground'. “Apple should not be allowed to use this unfounded and troubled lawsuit to make up for its shortcomings in the talent market.”
The document also pointed out Apple's own failure in integrating artificial intelligence into its products, and stated that the lawsuit “repackaged the good and lawful conduct of former employees — in many cases cited, these employees actually responded to Apple's request to help Apple by ensuring that the work of their former colleagues continued to advance even after they left — into so-called trade secret theft.”
The move is in response to Apple's lawsuit against OpenAI and its chief hardware officer Tang Tan in July of this year. Over the past two years, the two companies have collaborated to directly integrate ChatGPT into iPhone, iPad, and Mac software, but recently the relationship has cooled down. The hardware company accuses OpenAI of planning an operation to steal trade secrets through Apple job applicants and new employees.
The filing comes a day after Apple asked a judge to order OpenAI to stop using its alleged stolen trade secrets and force OpenAI to return any confidential information to Apple. If approved, the ban will remain in effect while Apple's lawsuit is ongoing.
OpenAI has been providing key technology for the Apple Intelligence platform and Siri digital assistant. Over the past year, however, the tension between the two sides has worsened — OpenAI hired former Apple design master Jony Ive to help develop the device, further worsening the situation. According to the lawsuit, the AI company has already employed more than 400 former Apple employees.
Apple's lawsuit names former iPhone engineer Chang Liu, who joined OpenAI in January of this year. Apple claims that while developing a device for OpenAI, he discovered an authentication flaw that enabled him to access confidential hardware-related files within weeks.
However, according to OpenAI, several of Liu's former colleagues at Apple took the initiative to seek help in locating the information they needed for their work. OpenAI disclosed an excerpt of a text message between an unidentified Apple employee and Liu in an attempt to prove the existence of this request for help.
The legal deadline for OpenAI to respond to Apple's preliminary injunction application to the court is August 17. The judge is scheduled to hear arguments on the motion on October 1.
The case number is Apple vs. Liu, 5:26 -cv-07078, and the trial court is the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (San Jose Division).