Apple says more ex-employees may have taken confidential data to OpenAI as probe widens

Apple's trade-secrets dispute with OpenAI is escalating. According to TechCrunch, Apple said in a new court filing on August 4 that its investigation into OpenAI has widened, claiming additional former employees may have retained or accessed confidential Apple information.

Apple had already been investigating former staff who moved to OpenAI over concerns they took confidential data; the new filing extends both the scope and the list of people involved.

In the filing, Apple says those former employees may have kept sensitive material related to Apple's business when they joined OpenAI, or come into contact with it in their new roles.

Behind the dispute is an intense competition for AI talent between the two companies, which are at once partners and rivals.

For Apple, protecting trade secrets is tied to the security of its product roadmap and in-house AI strategy; for OpenAI, sustained legal pressure could affect hiring momentum and team stability.

OpenAI had not publicly responded to the latest allegations as of this report, and the case's direction will depend on the court's review of the evidence.

As the battle for AI talent intensifies, disputes over non-compete clauses and confidential data are likely to multiply, making legal boundaries a new competitive battleground.