OpenAI accuses ex-employee of passing files to Apple

On Oct. 14, OpenAI filed a brief in federal court arguing that a former employee, now back at Apple, sent more than a hundred confidential files about an unreleased device to personal accounts. According to the filing, the person then showed OpenAI product plans to Apple executives. MacRumors and Reuters, via CTV News report it. The person is not identified. MacRumors says the employee worked at Apple first, left for OpenAI and returned to Apple six months later.

The documents reportedly include manufacturing information and detailed photos of at least one unreleased product. OpenAI says it raised the matter with Apple and received no assurance that the company does not hold or use its information. With the filing, it asks the court for permission to investigate and, if warranted, to bring counterclaims. These are claims by one side, and the filing does not show that Apple received, used or benefited from the material.

Apple's position and the underlying case

Apple told Reuters it has found no evidence supporting OpenAI's claims and that it has policies to keep new hires from using confidential information from previous employers. No response from the person named is known.

The filing comes inside the lawsuit Apple opened against OpenAI in July 2026. The core allegation is that trade secrets were taken to build AI hardware. OpenAI called that suit "careless, aggressive and oddly personal" and says it does not want Apple's secrets. On Oct. 13 the court partly granted Apple's request to speed up the exchange of evidence: OpenAI has two weeks at most to hand over forensic reports and materials from its interviews with former Apple employees.

At a hearing that same day, Oct. 14, Judge Edward Davila signaled it is "highly likely" he will issue a preliminary order against OpenAI's use of the alleged secrets, according to MacRumors, which cites Bloomberg. That order could limit what OpenAI uses for its first device.

There is no immediate effect in Mexico: neither Apple nor OpenAI has announced the device at issue, and there is no price or date. Still pending are the judge's decision on the preliminary order and the full filing, which this outlet could not review.