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Apple sues OpenAI over alleged theft of iPhone secrets for ChatGPT devices
🇲🇽 Mexico /Technology

Apple sues OpenAI over alleged theft of iPhone secrets for ChatGPT devices

From El Universal · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • Apple has sued two former employees and OpenAI, alleging they stole trade secrets related to iPhone technology.
  • The lawsuit claims these secrets were used to develop AI devices incorporating ChatGPT.
  • This legal action follows a cooling of relations after OpenAI acquired a startup founded by former Apple designer Jony Ive.

Apple has filed a lawsuit against two former employees and OpenAI, accusing them of stealing trade secrets tied to iPhone technology to develop their own AI-powered devices. The tech giant claims that OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has misappropriated these secrets and breached contracts.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleges that OpenAI, from its technical staff to its hardware director and business partners, has been involved in the theft of Apple's confidential information. The two former employees, Chang Liu and Tang Yew Tan, who now work with OpenAI, are central figures in the complaint. Apple's investigation into confidentiality breaches identified them as playing a key role in the alleged theft.

At all levels, from its technical staff to its hardware director, and in coordination with business partners, OpenAI has been stealing trade secrets and confidential information from Apple.

— AppleIn its legal complaint.

According to Apple, Liu, a former senior electrical systems engineer, accessed "dozens of confidential Apple files related to hardware," including details on unreleased products, engineering presentations, and technical specifications, after leaving the company without adhering to security protocols. Tan is accused of using confidential company information to instruct other Apple employees on how to leave the company and join OpenAI.

This legal battle marks a significant shift in the relationship between Apple and OpenAI. The two companies had previously formed an alliance in 2024 to integrate ChatGPT into the iPhone's operating system. However, relations reportedly soured after OpenAI acquired IO Products, a startup founded by Jony Ive, a prominent former Apple designer. Following this, Apple has partnered with Google to utilize its Gemini AI model for updates to its virtual assistant, Siri.

Apple has discovered a pattern of theft of its trade secrets by OpenAI employees who previously worked at Apple.

— AppleStated in the lawsuit.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Universal in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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