The dispute began in July, when Apple sued OpenAI and alleged an institutional campaign to obtain its trade secrets. OpenAI denied wrongdoing, saying it had no interest in Apple’s confidential material.¹

This week, Apple widened its consumer-AI ambitions. On Tuesday it unveiled HomeView, a $299 smart display powered by Siri AI, alongside other connected-home products developed with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric. The company emphasized AI features ranging from camera-footage summaries to thermostat adjustments.²

OpenAI answered with a counterattack. In a new filing, it alleged that an unnamed former employee copied “a hundred highly confidential files” on their final day in June, including engineering, manufacturing and supplier information tied to at least one unreleased OpenAI device. The employee, who had previously worked at Apple and later returned there, allegedly briefed Apple senior leadership on OpenAI’s plans.²

OpenAI argued that the timing made the risk acute: “armed with that information, Apple is making a new push into AI-enabled products.” It said it was “very concerned” its confidential information was circulating inside Apple, where engineers could shape upcoming products around OpenAI’s work.² Apple said it had found nothing supporting those allegations and called the filing an effort to distract from its claims against OpenAI.¹

But the courtroom balance shifted sharply on Wednesday. U.S. District Judge Edward Davila said he was “highly likely” to grant Apple an injunction blocking OpenAI from using proprietary information allegedly taken by former Apple employees.³ Rather than wait for that order, OpenAI agreed not to use Apple’s information in product development while the case proceeds and to provide forensic images from the drives of 14 employees who left Apple.⁴

The result is an awkward collision: OpenAI has raised a serious allegation about Apple’s access to its device plans, even as it accepts immediate restrictions over Apple’s secrets.