OpenAI has filed a new petition urging the court to dismiss Apple’s trade secret misappropriation lawsuit with prejudice, preventing Apple from refiling the same claims. The lawsuit, originally filed weeks ago, accuses former Apple employees Chang Liu and Tang Tan of taking confidential information after leaving the company and coaching prospective hires to bypass Apple’s security systems. OpenAI and io Products, founded by Jony Ive, are also named as defendants.

Apple alleges the defendants accessed and used proprietary information, seeking a preliminary injunction and expedited discovery. OpenAI’s latest filing argues Apple’s complaint fails to meet legal standards under the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA), claiming it does not specify protectable trade secrets, plausibly allege misappropriation by any defendant, or demonstrate resulting harm. OpenAI contends Apple relies on speculation and unsupported inferences rather than factual allegations, such as interpreting routine requests for 'parts' or pre-interview downloads as evidence of theft.

The company maintains Apple’s rebuttal confirms the complaint’s central defects rather than curing them, and insists the court should dismiss the case entirely.