OpenAI alleged an ex-employee who returned to Apple sent 100+ device files to himself

OpenAI alleged in a new court filing that a former employee who returned to Apple $AAPL +0.09% sent more than 100 confidential files about an unreleased OpenAI device to himself, according to The Wall Street Journal. The filing says the employee later presented OpenAI's product plans to Apple leadership, according to the Journal.

The employee is not identified by name in the filing, though the document uses a male possessive adjective when referencing him, according to the Journal. According to the filing, the transferred materials encompassed engineering and manufacturing data, details about suppliers, and various project files. A portion of the files was transmitted in the early hours of June 2, the concluding day of his tenure at OpenAI — a six-month period that ended when he returned to his former employer, Apple, the Journal reported.

Among the Apple leaders who received the presentation was a vice president of operations in Asia, according to the Journal. OpenAI alleges Apple used the information in its push into AI-enabled products and points to the HomeView smart hub Apple announced Tuesday. The Journal said Apple's products are often years in the making and it is unclear how information received in recent months could have shaped HomeView's design.

The presentation took place months ago, OpenAI said in the filing, according to CP24. "OpenAI is very concerned that its trade secret and confidential information is now circulating inside Apple, where Apple engineers can shape Apple's upcoming products based on OpenAI's confidential and innovative work," the company said.

Apple maintains internal safeguards to keep new employees from using confidential information from previous employers and said it had uncovered nothing to substantiate the allegations, according to CP24. In a statement, Apple also said OpenAI had not responded to its request for more information and is trying to shift attention from evidence that OpenAI took Apple's confidential information, according to the Journal.

The filing is part of a dispute Apple started when it sued OpenAI in July, accusing OpenAI and two former Apple employees, Chang Liu and Tang Yew Tan, of conspiring to extract confidential information about product design, manufacturing and Apple's supply chain. OpenAI has denied the allegations.

Apple and OpenAI are scheduled to appear Oct. 14 before U.S. District Judge Edward Davila in San Jose. The hearing will cover Apple's request for a preliminary injunction that would force OpenAI to halt its use of any misappropriated secrets and OpenAI's motion to dismiss the suit.