OpenAI has told a federal court that Apple's trade secret theft allegations are "a mess of Apple's own making," arguing that Apple failed to show any confidential information was actually stolen by its former employees, according to Reuters.

The dispute centers on Apple's lawsuit against former employees Chang Liu and Tang Tan, who allegedly stole trade secrets related to hardware design, manufacturing, and supply chain operations. OpenAI's filing responds to Apple's forensic evidence and claims the lawsuit aims to slow a rival and deter employee departures, noting it has hired about 400 former Apple employees.

OpenAI argues California law supports worker mobility and criticizes Apple's internal practices, such as encouraging personal iCloud use for work and escorting departing employees off site, which blurs data boundaries. It says Liu only helped colleagues find files, and Tan returned prototypes before leaving.

The case is a clash over employee movement and data handling, with a hearing scheduled for October 1 before Judge Edward J. Davila.