OpenAI asks court to dismiss Apple lawsuit over trade secrets and employee recruitment

OpenAI has asked a US federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Apple over allegations that the AI company and two former Apple employees improperly obtained or used confidential information.

Apple alleges that the former employees took proprietary information with them when they left the company to join OpenAI. Apple has also accused OpenAI of using recruitment interviews with prospective employees as a way to obtain confidential information about Apple’s operations and technology.

OpenAI has rejected the allegations and is asking the court to dismiss the case. The company argues that Apple’s lawsuit is partly an attempt to address its difficulties competing for employees with expertise in artificial intelligence and incorporating AI into its products.

OpenAI has also raised questions about Apple’s handling of employee information. It argues that Apple’s internal systems and policies contributed to uncertainty about how information could be accessed and used.

The dispute is still at an early stage, meaning the court has not yet made a final determination on Apple’s allegations. The proceedings could require both companies to provide information about their recruitment practices, internal data-management systems, product development and the handling of confidential information.

The case comes as technology companies compete heavily for employees with expertise in AI. Researchers, engineers and other specialists with experience in developing advanced AI systems are in high demand, making recruitment an important part of competition between companies in the sector.