Apple sues OpenAI after more than 400 employees were poached, ChatGPT Phone allegedly copies iPhone

Rumors have been circulating for quite some time that OpenAI is planning to launch its own smartphone, which could be marketed as a true flagship device powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 9600. Last week, Apple sued the maker of ChatGPT, alleging that OpenAI stole information and technologies from the iPhone ($745 on Amazon) to develop the "ChatGPT Phone."

With this lawsuit, Apple not only seeks monetary compensation but also aims to force OpenAI to destroy the stolen data and documents. As Bloomberg reports, OpenAI has poached over 400 former Apple employees over the past few months, many of them from teams involved in developing new iPhones. One former Apple manager is even said to have created a checklist on how to circumvent the iPhone manufacturer’s security measures when information is stolen before an Apple employee moves to OpenAI.

Bloomberg believes that the lawsuit and the ensuing investigation alone could lead to fewer Apple employees moving to OpenAI or passing on internal information to the AI giant. In the long term, the legal dispute could force OpenAI to redesign its products, at least in part. Currently, however, OpenAI is reportedly still on track to announce its first hardware product later this year, with shipments expected to begin in 2027. This is said to be an AI gadget being developed in collaboration with Apple’s former head of design, Jonathan Ive.