OpenAI to Apple: Show Us the Evidence in Trade Secret War

OpenAI is punching back against a bombshell lawsuit from Apple, flatly stating it isn’t aware of any evidence that the iPhone maker’s claims of a coordinated trade secret heist have merit. The statement, shared by Bloomberg’s Ed Ludlow, is the AI lab’s first direct comment on the case itself and marks a sharp escalation in rhetoric. “While we take these allegations seriously, we’re not aware of any evidence that this complaint has merit,” an OpenAI spokesperson said, doubling down on a message of fair competition and worker mobility.

That denial directly contradicts the narrative laid out in Apple’s 41-page complaint filed last Friday in a California federal court. The suit names OpenAI’s Chief Hardware Officer Tang Tan—a 24-year Apple veteran who led product design for the iPhone and Apple Watch—and alleges a coordinated effort by former Apple employees now at OpenAI to lift confidential information and intellectual property. You don’t file a document that detailed unless you think you have the receipts, which makes OpenAI’s pushback all the more pointed. It’s a classic “prove it” moment playing out in public view.

The timing is no coincidence. The legal brawl is unfolding just as reports solidify that OpenAI is building a new physical device to compete directly in Apple’s backyard. Bloomberg reported Tuesday that the company is developing a mobile, screen-free smart speaker with moving mechanical parts, described by insiders as a “humanlike AI companion” for the home. The project is reportedly being built with significant input from former Apple engineers who worked on the iPhone and Mac. OpenAI’s recent acquisition of Jony Ive’s startup, io, only adds fuel to the perception that a hardware clash is inevitable.

OpenAI’s initial response hours after the suit dropped was to claim a lack of interest in competitor technology. This second, more forceful statement suggests the company’s legal strategy is to dismiss the entire complaint as an evidence-free fishing expedition. Whether a judge agrees is another matter entirely, but for a company trying to pivot from a software lab into a consumer hardware player, fighting a trade secret battle with the world’s most valuable company is a serious distraction. The real question isn’t just about what OpenAI built, but how much of its new hardware DNA traces back to Cupertino.