AI companies are trying to escape the screen. Apple’s lawsuit against OpenAI shows how hard it will be

OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has been a key player in the current wave of consumer artificial intelligence (AI) flooding the world. But so far it has all been software behind a screen.

Last week, that began to change: the tech giant released its first branded hardware. At the same time, it was sued by Apple – legendary for its hardware nous seen in devices such as iPhone and MacBooks – over alleged industrial espionage.

In response, an OpenAI spokesperson said, “We have no interest in other companies’ trade secrets.”

The lawsuit is about more than allegations of stolen manufacturing techniques. It’s a preview of a much bigger shift.

AI companies are trying to escape the chat window and move into the physical world. But as OpenAI is discovering, hardware plays by rules software companies aren’t used to.