Judge orders OpenAI to hand over hiring records in Apple lawsuit

In short: A federal judge ordered OpenAI to quickly share certain hiring and interview records with Apple in a trade secrets lawsuit.

What happened

A judge ruled that Apple will get expedited access to some OpenAI documents tied to OpenAI’s hiring of former Apple employees. The case centers on “trade secrets,” which are confidential business details a company treats like a secret recipe.

The order covers materials from interviews with former Apple employees who applied for roles in OpenAI’s consumer hardware and robotics teams. According to the report, the documents may include interview checklists and scripts, along with technical presentations and records that could show whether interview talks referenced Apple technology or components.

The court gave OpenAI five days to turn over materials it has already collected, and 14 days to produce any other materials related to this request. The judge also allowed Apple to access private LINE messages (from a messaging app) between people named in the case, including OpenAI employees Chang Liu and Alyssa Peng.

The judge approved depositions as well. A deposition is sworn, recorded questioning, similar to testifying but usually done outside the courtroom. The depositions will include Liu, Peng, and OpenAI chief hardware officer Tang Yew Tan, and all three previously worked at Apple.

The judge did not approve all of Apple’s fast-track requests. For now, he denied expedited access to parts of OpenAI’s research and development, including areas like metal finishes and power management, though Apple may try again with narrower requests.

Why it matters

This ruling shapes what evidence Apple can gather early in a case that could affect how aggressively big tech companies hire from rivals. It also touches a sensitive point, whether job interviews become a pathway for confidential information to move from one company to another.

Source: TechCrunch AI