OpenAI has accused Apple of obtaining confidential information about an unreleased hardware device through an employee who left the company, worked there for six months and then returned to Apple. The allegations come in court after an ongoing dispute between the two technology companies. According to OpenAI, the employee sent more than 100 files related to the company's hardware projects to personal accounts. They included images, engineering data, information about suppliers and manufacturing processes, as well as requirements for materials and exterior finishes.
The company also claims that after returning to Apple, the employee presented the information to senior executives. OpenAI links the case to the new Apple HomeView hub introduced by Apple. The device is at the center of a trade dispute, even though the alleged disclosure of the information allegedly occurred months earlier.
Apple denies the allegations, saying it has policies and procedures that prevent new hires from using confidential information from previous employers. Apple denies that a presentation was made to its executives and says it has found no evidence of stolen files on its servers. The current dispute is a response to a lawsuit Apple filed in July 2026, when the company accused two former employees of taking protected intellectual property to OpenAI. The technology company denies the allegations.