A U.S. federal judge issued a ruling allowing Apple to quickly access hiring materials collected by OpenAI during interviews with former Apple employees, as part of a lawsuit Apple filed in July concerning trade secrets allegedly used or transferred to OpenAI.
The requested materials relate to interviews with people who applied for positions within OpenAI’s consumer hardware and robotics groups, ahead of the potential launch of the company’s first hardware device. The files may include interview checklists, guides, instructions, manuals and scripts, as well as technical presentations and records showing whether the interviews included references to Apple technologies or components.
Short Deadlines for Producing Documents
The judge gave OpenAI five days to produce materials it had already collected and 14 days to provide any other materials covered by the request. The ruling approved expedited access to these files but did not approve all of Apple’s discovery requests.
Judge Edward Davila also allowed Apple to access private messages exchanged through the LINE app between people named in the case, including OpenAI employees Chang Liu and Alyssa Peng, both of whom previously worked at Apple. He also approved depositions under oath for Liu, Peng and Tang Yew Tan, who serves as OpenAI’s chief hardware officer and is also a former Apple employee.
What Does Apple Allege?
Apple accuses OpenAI of a pattern of misappropriating confidential information, including former employees’ use of Apple computers to download undisclosed files and materials related to technologies, features and products, including technical specifications, engineering presentations and proprietary project data. Apple also says that former employees at OpenAI provided other candidates with guidance about the information they should bring to job interviews.
The lawsuit comes as OpenAI develops a consumer device that could eventually compete with the iPhone or smartphones generally if it becomes a central part of how users interact with software and services.
What Did the Court Not Approve?
Davila rejected Apple’s request to expedite access to OpenAI’s research and development in specific areas, such as metal finishes and power management. He also rejected several broader requests, including access to OpenAI’s hardware research or information about what former employees accomplished while working at the company.
The rejection is not final; the judge left the door open for Apple to narrow the scope of its requests and resubmit them.
Why Does This Matter?
The ruling places hiring and interview materials themselves at the center of a technology dispute over protecting trade secrets when employees move between companies developing new devices and products. However, it does not establish that theft or improper use of the information has occurred; the ruling defines an urgent scope of evidence that Apple may examine, while other requests remain rejected or eligible for reformulation.