Apple has urged a federal judge to reject OpenAI’s recent motion to dismiss its trade secrets lawsuit, arguing in a new filing that the company’s defense depends on “distortion, speculation, and improper extrinsic evidence.
in a 32-page opposition brief filed Wednesday, seen by MacRumors, Apple restates several of its main allegations against former engineer Chang Liu and OpenAI hardware chief Tan Yew Tan, and argues that OpenAI’s defenses are fact disputes that should be resolved after discovery, rather than used for dismissal.
In the lawsuit filed with the Northern District of California, Apple says it’s uncovered evidence of a months-long scheme to steal confidential information. The company says OpenAI hardware lead and former Apple designer Tan and former electrical engineer Liu directed Apple employees interviewing with OpenAI to provide details on unreleased devices, components, manufacturing processes, and vendor relationships.
From the lawsuit: OpenAI …. instructs new hires on how to avoid scrutiny when they leave Apple. For example, Mr. Tan warns them not to tell Apple that they have taken jobs at OpenAI, so they can stay at Apple as long as they can. After his own departure, Mr. Tan improperly retained or obtained an internal Apple managers’ document marked “Need to Know” that describes security procedures for employee departures. Messages left on Apple-issued work devices show that Mr. Tan and his OpenAI colleagues have been sharing this document with new hires before they give notice to Apple of their departures, previewing Apple’s security protocols. Unsurprisingly, Apple’s investigation has found a pattern by employees who depart for OpenAI of taking steps to evade the security processes intended to protect Apple’s confidential information.
In response to the lawsuit, OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri told MacRumors that, “We have no interest in other companies’ trade secrets. We remain focused on building innovative technology that empowers people everywhere.
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