Apple has sued OpenAI in the United States Federal Court for obtaining confidential information about apples through the former employee and recruitment process and for the use of such information in advancing hardware operations. The case concerned not only competition between the two companies, but also the possibility that Apple could use court procedures to learn about OpenAI ' s internal research and development.
Litigation refers to former employees and recruitment
In the indictment, Apple stated that after the entry into service of former Engineer Liu Chang Liu, it used the original company ' s laptop to access the Apple internal system and download confidential documents containing technical specifications, manufacturing processes, etc.
Apple also alleged that during the recruitment process, OpenAI sought confidential information from candidates about the Apple Project. Apple believes that what is currently available may be part of the problem and that it is not yet possible to see what is happening inside OpenAI.
Apple wants to get into forensics.
According to the lawyer interviewed, Patricia Lantzy, one of the real reasons for Apple ' s prosecution may be the lack of other legal means of ascertaining what information was taken and whether it was subsequently used.
In her view, once the case had entered the evidence disclosure process, Apple had the opportunity to seek additional internal material to establish the facts. For apples, it is also through the courts to sort out disputes, rather than resting on external speculation.
The point is if it's actually working.
It was reported that the legal basis for the case was mainly the Commercial Secrets Protection Act, which entered into force in 2016. Apples were required to prove that the information was commercial and that the company had taken measures to protect it, while the defendant had obtained it in an improper manner.
Another key question is whether OpenAI actually uses this information in the actual product development. If apples can prove this, it may affect the amount of compensation and even involve the calculation of reasonable licence fees.
Hardware layout case background
Although OpenAI has dug hundreds of employees out of apples, its hardware operations are still at an early stage. Bloomberg had previously reported that OpenAI's down-front device could be a smart soundbox without a screen.
In response, the spokesperson for OpenAI stated that the company had no intention of obtaining business secrets from other enterprises and was not aware of any factual basis for the proceedings and expressed support for fair competition and free movement of staff. The details of the case will be further developed with the subsequent submission of a formal defence by OpenAI.