Apple escalated its rivalry with OpenAI by filing a lawsuit accusing the AI company—and certain former Apple employees—of taking Apple hardware trade secrets while building OpenAI’s hardware efforts. The complaint, filed in the Northern District of California, alleges systematic access to confidential internal materials, including unreleased hardware specifications, vendor information, and manufacturing and testing details. OpenAI denied wrongdoing, saying it has “no interest in other companies’ trade secrets,” as the dispute highlights how quickly partnerships in consumer AI are shifting into competition. For universities and campus innovation units evaluating AI device partnerships, the case signals rising legal and compliance friction around IP protections, data handling, and confidential engineering knowledge.