Apple sues OpenAI over trade secret theft

Apple's aggressive lawsuit represents a major escalation in the AI hardware race and signals a complete breakdown of its relationship with OpenAI outside of the Apple Intelligence partnership.

* The allegation that former employees brought physical Apple prototypes to OpenAI hiring interviews suggests highly brazen and institutionalized corporate espionage.

* By targeting OpenAI's hardware subsidiary io Products, led by Jony Ive and Tang Yew Tan, Apple is seeking to cripple OpenAI's physical device ambitions before they can launch a consumer product.

* The legal dispute highlights the vulnerability of proprietary hardware supply chains and designs to departing talent, potentially prompting stricter security measures across the tech industry.