A U.S. judge has ordered that Apple be granted expedited access to hiring-related materials held by OpenAI in the trade-secrets lawsuit Apple filed in July against the AI developer.
What the court allowed
The court ruled that Apple may review documents tied to interviews of former Apple employees who applied for positions in OpenAI’s consumer hardware and robotics teams. According to the decision, these materials may include:
- interview checklists, guides, instructions, manuals, and scripts,
- technical presentations,
- records showing that interview discussions referenced Apple technology or components.
The judge gave OpenAI five days to produce materials it has already collected and 14 days to produce any other documents responsive to this request.
Communications and depositions authorized
The court also approved production of private LINE messages between individuals named in the case, including OpenAI employees Chang Liu and Alyssa Peng. In addition, the judge authorized depositions of Chang Liu and Alyssa Peng, along with Tang Yew Tan, OpenAI’s chief hardware officer. All three are former Apple employees.
Requests the court denied (for now)
The judge did not grant all of Apple’s expedited discovery requests. He denied Apple’s bid to fast-track access to OpenAI research and development materials in specified areas such as metal finishes and power management. Several broader discovery requests—like sweeping access to OpenAI’s hardware research or to information about what former employees created while working at OpenAI—were also denied.
That denial is not final: the judge left open the possibility for Apple to narrow and refine its requests and seek renewed relief.
Background and significance
Apple’s lawsuit alleges a pattern of theft, including claims that former employees used Apple laptops to download confidential materials about unannounced technologies, features and products—such as technical specifications, engineering presentations and proprietary project data. Apple also alleges that some former employees at OpenAI coached colleagues considering leaving Apple about what information to bring to interviews.
The litigation arises as OpenAI is developing a consumer hardware device that could, if it becomes central to how consumers interact with software and services, potentially compete with the iPhone or smartphones more generally.
The court’s order is significant because it accelerates Apple’s access to interviewing and communications documents that may be probative, while at the same time the judge limited immediate access to broader R&D files, leaving room for more targeted requests going forward.
Next steps
OpenAI must comply with the production deadlines set by the court. Apple can revise and narrow previously denied requests and reapply to the court. Further discovery rulings and depositions will shape the evidence available to both sides as the case proceeds.
