Apple Seeks Injunction Against OpenAI in Trade Secrets Lawsuit on August 04

Apple asked a federal judge on Monday for a preliminary injunction to bar OpenAI and two former employees from accessing or using alleged confidential information. The move escalates Apple’s July 10 lawsuit accusing OpenAI of stealing trade secrets related to consumer hardware. OpenAI fired back hours later with a public blog post, publishing internal messages and emails to dispute Apple’s claims and challenge the injunction request.

What Apple is asking the court to do

Apple filed a motion seeking to prevent OpenAI, former engineer Chang Liu, and former design executive Tang Tan from accessing, using, or disclosing Apple’s alleged trade secrets. The company also requested expedited discovery to obtain documents about the defendants’ access to proprietary information. Apple’s lawyers wrote that the company would be irreparably harmed without the injunction and warned that if trade secrets are embedded in OpenAI’s products, the damage cannot be undone.

OpenAI’s detailed rebuttal with published evidence

OpenAI published a blog post titled “Apple is getting this wrong,” calling the lawsuit careless and oddly personal. The company shared iMessage chats and email conversations showing Apple’s outside counsel emailed the wrong person in February after confusing two Asian last names. OpenAI said it heard nothing about the specific allegations for five months before Apple filed suit on July 10.

The disputed facts about former employees

OpenAI published iMessage exchanges showing Apple employees repeatedly asked Chang Liu for help locating files and technical information after his January 22 departure, including directing a colleague to AirDrop files from his Apple-linked iCloud account. One Apple employee was still asking Liu about internal files as late as March 5. OpenAI defended Tang Tan, who spent 24 years at Apple before joining io Products, a hardware startup Tan co-founded. OpenAI stated the company does not have nor want any of Apple’s trade secrets.

Why this matters for Apple shareholders

Meyka grades Apple a B with neutral recommendation, though the stock trades at a 35.4 price-to-earnings ratio, above historical averages. Apple’s legal battle with OpenAI could distract management and tie up resources during a critical period for Apple Intelligence integration into Siri and other products. The lawsuit also highlights tensions between two former partners: OpenAI has hired over 400 former Apple employees and enlisted design visionary Jony Ive to develop devices.

Final Thoughts

Apple and OpenAI are now locked in a public legal and PR battle over alleged trade secret theft. The preliminary injunction decision will determine whether OpenAI must halt certain activities while the case proceeds. Investors should monitor the court’s ruling for signals about the strength of Apple’s claims and potential settlement discussions.

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The content shared by Meyka AI PTY LTD is solely for research and informational purposes.  Meyka is not a financial advisory service, and the information provided should not be considered investment or trading advice.