Apple asked a federal judge to place OpenAI under forensic oversight through a preliminary injunction, escalating a lawsuit that began in July over alleged trade secret theft. The iPhone maker submitted nine sworn declarations to support its request for emergency supervision of OpenAI's operations, arguing that the AI company's alleged use of stolen hardware secrets causes ongoing harm. Elon Musk responded to the filing on August 4 by posting on X that OpenAI "can't" be trusted, renewing his public criticism of OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman. Such court-ordered forensic oversight is rare in corporate litigation and typically signals severe allegations requiring immediate intervention before a case concludes.
Apple Submits Nine Declarations to Support Forensic Supervision Request
Apple's preliminary injunction motion requests a court order forcing changes to OpenAI's operations before the case concludes. The filing asks the judge to authorize outside investigators to review OpenAI's internal systems under forensic supervision. Apple submitted nine sworn declarations alongside the motion to demonstrate urgency.
The lawsuit began in July when Apple accused former employees of leaking unreleased hardware plans to the ChatGPT developer. OpenAI has denied any wrongdoing in its court filings and calls the allegations overstated. The complaint also names io Products, the hardware startup founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive that OpenAI acquired earlier this year for $6.5 billion. Apple argues its trade secrets are now flowing directly into a rival's AI hardware ambitions. Apple has also stated that additional former employees may have passed along confidential data.
OpenAI Publishes Chat Logs Showing Apple Employee Contact After Departure
OpenAI published chat logs it says show Apple employees kept contacting engineer Chang Liu for weeks after he left for OpenAI, asking him to help resolve internal technical problems. OpenAI argues this evidence undercuts Apple's case, suggesting Apple failed to manage its own access controls when the employee departed rather than losing trade secrets to a rival.
This is not OpenAI's only legal fight this year. A jury dismissed Musk's OpenAI suit in May, ruling that he filed his claims too late. That case followed a narrowed OpenAI lawsuit trial that had reached the courtroom only weeks earlier. That earlier suit also targeted OpenAI's founding structure, though it ultimately failed on procedural grounds rather than the underlying merits.
Musk Posts Distrust Statement on X Following Apple's Filing
Musk posted "Can't trust OpenAI" on X on August 4 in reaction to Apple's filing. Musk has criticized OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman for years. He has long argued that OpenAI abandoned its founding nonprofit mission and that Altman now runs the company for profit rather than public benefit. OpenAI representatives have repeatedly denied that characterization in public statements, insisting the company still pursues its original charter.
Musk's July clash with Altman followed the same pattern, with the two trading barbs on X after Apple first sued OpenAI. OpenAI's path toward a public listing had cleared once Musk's own suit collapsed earlier this year. A forensic-supervision order could complicate that process, since it would expose sensitive internal operations to outside monitors during a critical stretch. Apple has not said when it expects a ruling.
FAQ
What did Apple request from the federal judge regarding OpenAI?
Apple asked a federal judge to place OpenAI under forensic oversight through a preliminary injunction. The filing requests authorization for outside investigators to review OpenAI's internal systems. Apple submitted nine sworn declarations to support the motion.
Why did Elon Musk say OpenAI can't be trusted?
Musk posted "Can't trust OpenAI" on X on August 4 in response to Apple's preliminary injunction filing. Musk has criticized OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman for years, arguing that OpenAI abandoned its founding nonprofit mission.
What evidence did OpenAI present to counter Apple's allegations?
OpenAI published chat logs showing Apple employees kept contacting engineer Chang Liu for weeks after he left for OpenAI, asking him to help resolve internal technical problems. OpenAI argues this demonstrates Apple failed to manage its own access controls when the employee departed.
