OpenAI calls out Apple’s ‘careless, aggressive and oddly personal lawsuit’ in latest blog post

After two former Apple employees started working for OpenAI, the Cupertino-based company alleged that trade secrets went with them and straight to the creator of ChatGPT. After it asked for a preliminary injunction to stop those employees and OpenAI from accessing confidential information, OpenAI publicly announced its defence, and followed that up with a blog post for good measure.

Titled “Apple is getting this wrong“, OpenAI argues that Apple has built a reputation for obsession over small details, yet “this careless, aggressive and oddly personal lawsuit sadly doesn’t live up to that reputation.”

It notes that Apple claimed it contacted OpenAI in February, but that contact was actually given to the wrong person, as Apple’s lawyers mixed two names up. It also notes that Apple claimed it talked to OpenAI’s General Counsel, “which they now concede never happened.”

The two former employees, named Chang Liu and Tang Tan, are both defended by OpenAI. OpenAI claims that Liu is accused of trying to access confidential information after leaving, though OpenAI shares text messages of Apple employees asking for Liu’s help to locate files. OpenAI claims that the problem here is actually Apple failing to properly manage system access when people leave.

Apparently no such evidence exists for Tan, but OpenAI claims “Tang has always been clear with the team that we do not want, and must not use, any confidential information from other companies.”

OpenAI claims that the preliminary injunction is “based on false information” and unnecessary, as it doesn’t want Apple’s trade secrets.

The blog post argues, “We wish Apple had raised these issues with us before they filed their lawsuit and would have been happy to clarify all of this with them. We have taken the allegations in the lawsuit seriously and offered to work with Apple to resolve this.” It continues, “Instead, they’re trying to change their narrative, including by making vague accusations about other former employees, and will likely keep repeating this tactic.”

Apple is yet to respond to OpenAI’s public blog post, but the company is historically less likely to use the same tactic of publicly posting blog posts about ongoing court cases. In regard to Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI, the AI company put up two separate blogs recounting its relationship with Elon Musk and Elon Musk’s nonprofit claims.

Naturally, a blog post like this is intended to garner public support, which can then apply pressure to Apple. Apple will need to come back with a strong response, should it choose to give one publicly.

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