OpenAI has agreed to refrain from using trade secrets allegedly stolen from Apple by former employees who moved to the AI startup. The commitment was made during a court hearing in San Jose, where a federal judge indicated he was likely to rule in Apple's favor regarding an injunction.
The agreement requires OpenAI to collect forensic images from the devices of 14 specific employees to ensure no Apple proprietary information is utilized in its hardware development. Apple had accused the startup of conspiring to misappropriate intellectual property related to product design, manufacturing, and supply chain data.
Apple claims these secrets were intended to advance OpenAI's entry into the consumer hardware market, specifically citing a planned smart speaker priced over $300. OpenAI denies these allegations, arguing that Apple is attempting to restrict employee mobility and characterize standard job interviews as theft.
In a countersuit, OpenAI alleged that a former employee who returned to Apple transferred hundreds of confidential files regarding unreleased hardware to a personal account. OpenAI is seeking time to investigate whether Apple has accessed this data, while Apple maintains that it has strict internal protocols to prevent the use of third-party trade secrets.
