OpenAI has filed a rebuttal in its ongoing lawsuit with Apple, arguing that Apple's own "sloppy procedures" are to blame for any trade secret exposure. According to Reuters, OpenAI claims Apple "struggled to adopt AI" and cannot stop employees from leaving for "an exciting startup that builds innovative products." OpenAI alleges Apple encourages staff to use personal iCloud accounts, gives departing employees no time to return devices, and blocks file transfers, making it difficult to separate personal and company data.

An attorney specializing in corporate trade secret theft told AppleInsider the legal bar for proving Apple failed to protect its data is very high. Based on public filings, Apple should meet requirements easily. Precedent allows very short device return windows, sometimes only hours, which Apple appears to satisfy. The attorney noted Apple's prior claims that OpenAI employees willfully skipped exit interviews further weakens OpenAI's defense.

The trial remains complex with multiple legal angles. OpenAI is attempting to prove Apple's secrets were insufficiently protected and therefore not legally trade secrets, though the attorney suggested this strategy "probably won't work out that well for OpenAI."