Apple is pursuing a trade secrets lawsuit against OpenAI over allegations of intellectual property theft.
A U.S. judge has ordered OpenAI to produce internal interview documentation and hiring records for roles within its hardware and robotics groups, citing evidence that former Apple employees shared sensitive technical manuals and scripts during the recruitment process.
What did the court decide?
Apple will be able to review material from interviews OpenAI conducted with people who previously worked at Apple. These documents include instructions, notes, technical presentations and files referring to Apple technologies. OpenAI was given five days to turn over the material it has already collected and 14 days for the remaining documents.
The judge also allowed Apple to access private messages from the LINE app between individuals involved in the case. The ruling also includes depositions from three OpenAI executives: Chang Liu, Alyssa Peng, and chief hardware officer Tang Yew Tan, all of whom previously worked at Apple.
Apple's accusations
Apple alleges a pattern of information theft. The company says former employees used Apple laptops to store confidential material about unannounced technologies. Apple also alleges that departing employees instructed their colleagues on what information to collect and present in their interviews with OpenAI.
What was rejected?
Judge Edward Davila has, for now, denied Apple’s requests for direct access to broader OpenAI research, such as issues related to power management in devices or manufacturing materials. He also denied a request for access to work produced by former Apple employees since they joined OpenAI. The ruling is not final, and Apple can resubmit its requests in a more limited form.
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