Apple vs. OpenAI: Judge Orders Disclosure of Hiring Records
Apple Ordered Expedited Access to OpenAI Interview Records in Trade Secrets Lawsuit
U.S. District Judge Edward Davila ordered OpenAI to turn over specific hiring records and interview materials to Apple following a trade secrets lawsuit filed by Apple in July 2026, TechCrunch reported. While Apple requested broad access to company files, the federal court drew a sharp line between general research and targeted recruitment documents tied to former Apple personnel.
- The court approved depositions and the turnover of private LINE messaging app communications for former Apple staff now at OpenAI, including Chang Liu, Alyssa Peng, and chief hardware officer Tang Yew Tan.
- The judge denied Apple’s immediate requests for broader research and development disclosures covering metal finishes and power management, though that ruling remains without prejudice for future modification.
Court Balances Hardware Development Claims Against Proprietary Discovery Demands
The legal dispute centers on OpenAI’s ongoing development of a consumer hardware device intended to potentially rival smartphones and the iPhone ecosystem. Apple accused OpenAI of orchestrating a pattern of theft, claiming that departing personnel utilized company laptops to download confidential engineering presentations, project data, and technical specifications for unannounced products. Apple alleged that certain workers actively coached colleagues on what proprietary files to siphon before transitioning to OpenAI.
Sifting through these opposing claims, Judge Davila granted expedited production for documents directly associated with job interviews involving former Apple applicants. OpenAI must deliver materials already collected within five days, while remaining items tied to this specific directive must arrive within fourteen days. Alongside interview scripts and manuals, the order covers records demonstrating whether technical discussions during those interviews touched upon proprietary Apple components.
Targeted Deposition Orders Focus on Named Former Apple Personnel
Rather than granting an unrestricted audit of corporate databases, the federal ruling zeroes in on specific individuals and communication channels. The court authorized depositions and message disclosures for three high-profile transferees: Chang Liu, Alyssa Peng, and OpenAI chief hardware officer Tang Yew Tan. Investigators can now examine private LINE messenger exchanges between these named individuals to trace how recruitment discussions unfolded.
Conversely, the judiciary blocked broader demands for proprietary research data. Apple’s bid to immediately inspect OpenAI’s internal work regarding power management systems and metal finishes was rejected. The court similarly declined to compel immediate disclosures concerning what former employees actually built after arriving at OpenAI. However, the ruling leaves room for Apple’s legal team to narrow their parameters and petition the court again for those broader files.
A judge granted Apple early discovery in its trade secrets suit against OpenAI: 14 days for OpenAI's files on interviewing Apple candidates, and three depositions. Wider requests: denied or deferred.#AI pic.twitter.com/sHOdjoOLpI
More on Chang Liu
That’s a pretty broad discovery win for Apple. The private messages could end up being more important than the formal interviews.