The legal battle between OpenAI and Apple has taken another turn, with the ChatGPT maker accusing a former employee of taking more than 100 confidential files related to an unreleased AI device before returning to Apple.
According to a new court filing, OpenAI claims that a former engineer transferred more than 100 highly confidential documents to personal accounts on his final day at the company. The files allegedly contained sensitive information about at least one unannounced AI hardware product currently under development.
The employee, whose identity has not been publicly disclosed, previously worked at Apple before joining OpenAI. After approximately six months, he returned to the iPhone maker.
OpenAI alleges that the documents included detailed product designs, engineering information, manufacturing data, and technical specifications. The company also claims that the former employee subsequently delivered a presentation about OpenAI's hardware plans to Apple's senior leadership.
If substantiated, the allegations could have significant implications for both companies as they prepare to compete in the emerging market for AI-powered consumer devices.
A legal battle that started with Apple's lawsuit
The latest accusations come several months after Apple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in July 2026, alleging that the AI company had improperly obtained confidential information by recruiting former Apple hardware engineers.
Among those named in the lawsuit was Tang Tan, Apple's former hardware design executive who now serves as OpenAI's Chief Hardware Officer.
Apple accused OpenAI and several former employees of improperly accessing or sharing proprietary hardware designs, confidential manufacturing information, and details about unreleased products.
The iPhone maker argued that OpenAI had benefited from confidential information obtained during the recruitment of engineers who previously worked on Apple's hardware projects.
OpenAI has denied wrongdoing.
Now, the ChatGPT developer argues that the potential transfer of confidential information may have occurred in the opposite direction as well.
OpenAI raises concerns about its secret AI hardware
In its latest court filing, OpenAI expressed concern that its confidential information could be circulating within Apple, potentially influencing the development of competing products.
The dispute comes at a particularly sensitive moment for OpenAI's hardware ambitions.
The company has been developing a new category of AI-powered devices in collaboration with Jony Ive, Apple's former chief design officer, and his design team.
Although specific details about the project remain undisclosed, the collaboration represents OpenAI's attempt to expand beyond software and introduce dedicated hardware built around artificial intelligence.
The alleged exposure of confidential product plans could therefore create additional challenges for a project that has attracted considerable attention across the technology industry.
For Apple, the situation is equally significant as the company continues exploring new AI-powered products and experiences.
Apple denies OpenAI's allegations
Apple has rejected OpenAI's accusations, stating that it has found no evidence supporting the claims.
The company maintains that it requires employees to respect the confidential information and intellectual property of their previous employers.
Apple has also characterized the allegations as an attempt to divert attention from its original lawsuit against OpenAI.
At this stage, the competing claims remain allegations, and no court has established that Apple used OpenAI's confidential hardware designs.
The legal proceedings in California are continuing, with both companies seeking to defend their intellectual property and challenge the opposing party's accusations.
The battle for AI hardware is heating up
Beyond the immediate legal implications, the dispute highlights an increasingly important competitive battleground in the technology industry.
OpenAI is seeking to transform its position as a leading AI software developer into a broader consumer technology business, while Apple is working to integrate artificial intelligence more deeply into its hardware ecosystem.
Both companies possess significant engineering resources, product development expertise, and ambitions for the next generation of personal computing.
The outcome of the lawsuit could influence how technology companies recruit engineers, protect confidential product information, and manage intellectual property as competition in AI hardware intensifies.
For now, the accusations underline just how valuable unreleased product designs and engineering expertise have become in the race to develop the next major AI-powered device.
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