OpenAI tells court an ex-employee sent Apple leadership a presentation on its unreleased device plans

In a filing on Wednesday, OpenAI said an unnamed employee who left for Apple and returned after six months sent more than a hundred confidential files to personal accounts. The files reportedly included manufacturing data and images of an unreleased product. OpenAI alleges the person presented its product plans to senior Apple leaders, and it asked for a schedule to investigate and possibly bring counterclaims. The filing does not itself assert counterclaims. Apple told Reuters it found no evidence and has rules against using prior employers' confidential data. The filing arrived in the case Apple opened in July, alleging OpenAI hired staff who took hardware secrets. On the same day, Judge Edward Davila said he was highly likely to grant Apple a preliminary injunction. OpenAI agreed not to use the alleged trade secrets, and forensic copies will be made of devices belonging to 14 staff. For founders, the dispute is a reminder that hiring from a rival can bring discovery, device imaging and injunctions. Clean-room onboarding and file hygiene matter most for hardware and agent teams.