Apple sues OpenAI for alleged theft of trade secrets and engineers

The partnership between Apple and OpenAI has soured dramatically, culminating in a lawsuit filed by Apple against the artificial intelligence firm. Apple accuses OpenAI of orchestrating a fraudulent scheme to steal trade secrets and intellectual property by recruiting several of its key engineers.

The tech giant claims that significant evidence suggests OpenAI employees illicitly took information. In a move underscoring the severity of the allegations, Apple sent letters to approximately 40 former employees now employed by Sam Altman's company. These individuals were instructed to meticulously preserve any documents, emails, messages, or other files that could either exonerate or incriminate them.

This legal battle marks a sharp turn for the two companies, which had recently announced a technological partnership involving the integration of ChatGPT into Apple Intelligence. The 41-page lawsuit, reportedly reviewed by Le Figaro, details explosive accusations, signaling a deep rift between the former partners.