In brief — Apple accuses OpenAI of "willful theft" of trade secrets intended for its future device designed with Jony Ive. OpenAI requests the case be dismissed. Federal Judge Edward J. Davila will examine the cross-motions on October 1, 2026, in San Jose, while the two companies remain commercial partners.

Just two years ago, Apple and OpenAI proudly announced a partnership to integrate ChatGPT into the heart of the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. At the beginning of September 2026, the two giants are facing off in a federal court in San Jose, California, in one of the most scrutinized lawsuits in the technology industry.

From a poaching complaint to an accusation of organized theft

It all started with a complaint filed by Apple on July 10, which initially accused OpenAI of poaching several of its former employees. The tone has significantly hardened since then. In a new filing in early August, the Apple brand no longer speaks of simple aggressive recruitment, but of "repeated acts of willful theft," aimed, in its view, at advancing OpenAI's hardware ambitions using stolen confidential information. Apple is demanding the immediate cessation of any use of its trade secrets, as well as a search of its former partner's computers.

At the heart of this battle is a connected device being developed in collaboration with star designer Jony Ive, expected to launch in 2027. This is a strategic project for OpenAI, which is simultaneously preparing for an IPO valued at $852 billion — a sum that hints at the financial stakes hidden behind this legal conflict.

OpenAI denounces an "unfounded" lawsuit

Unsurprisingly, the company led by Sam Altman has not let the attack go unanswered. Its lawyers have requested the outright dismissal of the case, a maneuver that, if successful, would prevent Apple from bringing the same issue back later. In their filings, they claim to have "no interest" in others' trade secrets, while severely criticizing Apple's method, deemed far from its usual reputation for rigor.

A federal judge is set to examine the cross-motions of the two companies in early October, who remain, by acknowledged paradox, active commercial partners while their lawyers battle it out.

A rift that had been brewing for months

This clash did not come out of nowhere. As early as spring 2026, reports had emerged that OpenAI was already considering legal action against Apple, accusing it, in turn, of limiting ChatGPT's visibility within its own software — a loss of revenue deemed considerable for the startup's paid subscriptions. The integration promised in 2024, intended to benefit both parties, thus only lasted long enough to sow distrust.

What this war reveals about the industry

Beyond the legal soap opera, this case says something important about the period global tech is going through: the race for AI-powered hardware — speakers, smart glasses, future physical assistants — has become so strategic that no player is willing to let a rival get close, not even a former partner. The trial, scheduled for examination in the fall, promises revelations that could go beyond the purely legal framework to redraw the alliances of an entire industry.

Note — The examination of the cross-motions by Federal Judge Edward J. Davila is scheduled for October 1, 2026: the case has therefore not yet been decided at the time of writing.

Editorial opinion — The real issue is not the amount of damages, but the timing. If Apple obtains a search of OpenAI's computers, the 2027 launch is jeopardized, just months before a historic IPO. Trade secret lawsuits are almost always settled out of court: the question is at what price, and who will have more to lose from a delay.