United Kingdom, July 15 -- OpenAI says is taking Apple's allegations "seriously" but isn't "aware of any evidence" supporting the claim.

Late last week, Apple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI accusing the company of trade secret theft, alleging that the AI lab stole the iPhone maker's IP to develop its own hardware.

In a new statement to Bloomberg, OpenAI said: "While we take these allegations seriously, we're not aware of any evidence that this complaint has merit.

"We believe in fair competition and allowing people the freedom to work wherever they choose, and we're focused on building innovative technology that empowers people everywhere."

The lawsuit comes a couple of years after the two tech giants formed a partnership which saw Ch...