Judge orders OpenAI to provide Apple hiring records

The judge ruled that Apple would gain expedited access to OpenAI hiring materials connected to former Apple employees who applied to the company’s consumer hardware and robotics groups.[1] OpenAI has five days to turn over materials already collected and 14 days to provide other related materials.[1] The evidence does not specify when those periods begin, so teams interpreting the deadlines should confirm the operative dates in the court order rather than assume a start point. The order concerns hiring and related records, not a blanket handover of OpenAI’s research.[1]

Covered interview materials may include checklists, guides, instructions, manuals and scripts used in interviews with the former Apple employees.[1] The order also covers technical presentations and records showing whether interview discussions referred to Apple technology or components.[1] That scope makes the distinction between ordinary recruiting records and records tied to technical discussion important for teams preparing materials. The evidence does not establish that every interview included Apple-related discussion or that every listed type of document exists in the collected materials.[1]

Apple was also allowed to access private LINE messages between people named in the case, including OpenAI employees Chang Liu and Alyssa Peng.[1] The judge approved depositions of Liu, Peng and OpenAI chief hardware officer Tang Yew Tan; all three are former Apple employees.[1] By contrast, the judge denied Apple’s request for expedited access to OpenAI research and development materials concerning areas including metal finishes and power management, along with several broader hardware-research requests.[1] Those broader denials were not final: Apple may narrow the requests and try again.[1]

Apple’s complaint alleges that Liu failed to return an Apple-issued work laptop and later used an authentication bug to access Apple’s internal network; Apple also alleges that dozens of confidential hardware-related files were downloaded.[4] Apple further alleges that Tan encouraged Apple employees to bring Apple parts to OpenAI job interviews for show-and-tell sessions.[4] OpenAI says it does not have or want Apple’s trade secrets and called Apple’s preliminary-injunction request unnecessary.[5] OpenAI also says Tang Tan told his team not to use confidential information from other companies.[5] These are the parties’ stated positions, not findings established by the order.