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Judge orders OpenAI to hand over hiring records in Apple trade secrets case

Court grants expedited access to interview materials linked to former Apple employees amid allegations of confidential data theft

By LineZotpaper
Published
Updated
Read Time2 min
Sources3 outlets
A US judge has ruled that Apple may access OpenAI's hiring records related to former Apple employees who applied for roles at the AI company, granting an expedited discovery request in the trade secrets lawsuit Apple filed in July.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Edward Davila permits Apple to view documents from OpenAI's interviews with former Apple staff who sought positions in OpenAI's consumer hardware and robotics groups. These records may include interview checklists, guides, technical presentations, and records indicating discussions that referenced Apple technology or components. OpenAI has five days to turn over already-collected materials and 14 days for any additional documents tied to the request.

The case stems from Apple's lawsuit accusing OpenAI of a pattern of trade secret theft. Apple alleges that former employees used company laptops to download confidential material about unannounced technologies, features, and products, including technical specifications and proprietary project data. The suit also claims that former Apple employees now at OpenAI coached others on what information to bring to job interviews.

The judge also approved depositions for three individuals named in the case: OpenAI employees Chang Liu and Alyssa Peng, and OpenAI's chief hardware officer, Tang Yew Tan. All three are former Apple employees. Apple was additionally granted access to private messages sent via the LINE messaging app between the named individuals.

However, the court denied some of Apple's broader discovery requests, including expedited access to OpenAI's research and development in areas like metal finishes and power management, as well as information about what former Apple employees created while at OpenAI. The judge left the door open for Apple to narrow those requests and refile.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The case touches on a central tension in Silicon Valley: the flow of talent between companies versus the protection of proprietary information
  • Apple is seeking to establish a legal precedent that could limit how OpenAI and other AI firms recruit from its workforce
  • The outcome could affect the timeline and development of OpenAI's rumored first consumer hardware device

Background

Apple filed suit against OpenAI in July 2026, alleging systematic theft of trade secrets as OpenAI develops a consumer hardware device that could compete with the iPhone. The case is one of several high-profile disputes between the two companies as AI companies increasingly recruit from established hardware and software firms. The dispute focuses on whether OpenAI's hiring practices crossed the line from normal talent acquisition into organized theft of confidential information.

Key Perspectives

Apple: The company argues that OpenAI engaged in a coordinated effort to obtain trade secrets through former employees, including coaching interviewees on what confidential material to bring. It seeks to protect its intellectual property from what it alleges is systematic misappropriation. OpenAI: The AI company has not publicly responded to the specific allegations in the ruling. The denials of Apple's broader discovery requests suggest OpenAI is pushing back against what it may view as overreach that could expose its own hardware research. Critics/Skeptics: Some legal observers may question whether Apple is using litigation to slow OpenAI's hardware ambitions or to discourage employees from leaving. Trade secret cases often hinge on whether information was truly confidential and whether reasonable measures were taken to protect it.

What to Watch

  • Whether Apple narrows and refiles its broader discovery requests regarding OpenAI's R&D
  • The content of the LINE messages and deposition testimony from the three former Apple employees
  • Any settlement discussions between the two companies as the case progresses toward trial

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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