OpenAI on Tuesday rejected allegations made by Apple in a trade secret lawsuit, suggesting the complaint is baseless.

“While we take these allegations seriously, we are not aware of any evidence that this complaint has merit,” OpenAI said in a statement, first shared by Bloomberg reporter Ed Ludlow on X. “We believe in fair competition and allowing people the freedom to work wherever they want, and we are focused on building innovative technology that empowers people everywhere.”

The statement comes several days after Apple filed a lawsuit against the AI ​​lab, alleging that OpenAI employees, who previously worked at the iPhone maker, engaged in a coordinated effort to obtain confidential information and intellectual property. The 41-page complaint, filed Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, contains a series of allegations against OpenAI leadership, including hardware director Tang Tan. Before joining OpenAI, Tan was a veteran at Apple, where he worked for 24 years and held senior positions, including vice president of product design for iPhone and Apple Watch.

This is the first time OpenAI has commented on the case itself. In its opening statement hours after Apple filed its lawsuit, it proclaimed a lack of interest in technology developed by other companies, telling TechCrunch: “We have no interest in other companies’ trade secrets. We remain focused on creating innovative technology that empowers people everywhere.”

Apple claims in its lawsuit that its internal investigation uncovered evidence that OpenAI and its partners used confidential company information while developing its own hardware product.

The reports, along with OpenAI’s recent acquisition of Jony Ive’s io startup, suggest that the company is working on a device that could directly compete with Apple’s business. Bloomberg reported Tuesday that OpenAI is working on a screenless mobile smart speaker, described by people familiar with the plans as a “human-like AI companion” designed for living in the home.

The device reportedly has no display, includes moving mechanical elements, and is being built with input from several former Apple engineers who worked on the iPhone and Mac.

TechCrunch has reached out to OpenAI for further comment and will update this article when the company responds.