OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says he remains a “mega Apple fanboy” despite Apple’s federal lawsuit accusing former Apple employees now at OpenAI of taking or retaining confidential information that could have aided OpenAI’s hardware work. Altman said OpenAI does not want other companies’ trade secrets or intellectual property.
Speaking on Alex Heath’s podcast, Altman said the lawsuit initially saddened him and led him to wonder whether somebody at OpenAI had done something seriously wrong. After reviewing the matter, he said, the company’s position is that Apple’s accusations are unfounded. Business Insider reported on Altman’s comments.
Apple filed the case in July, alleging that former employees Tang Tan and Chang Liu took or kept confidential material after their departures and that the information could have supported OpenAI’s hardware development. OpenAI is seeking to have the lawsuit dismissed, arguing in part that Apple is trying to impede a competitor recruiting its staff. The claims have not been established in court.
The dispute has recently expanded with Apple alleging that Liu accessed a confidential circuit diagram after joining OpenAI and used it in an AI agent in March. OpenAI maintains that Apple has not shown unlawful misappropriation of trade secrets and has pointed to Apple’s employee-exit procedures as part of the issue.
The case carries broader implications because OpenAI is developing consumer hardware with former Apple design chief Jony Ive. Its first product could be a compact device without a screen, and Apple is seeking remedies that could affect those plans if its arguments prevail. The eventual scope of any court-ordered restrictions remains unresolved.
