Skip to main content

Apple's Court Win: OpenAI Must Hand Over Hiring Records in Trade Secret Spat

Apple's Court Win: OpenAI Must Hand Over Hiring Records in Trade Secret Spat

A federal judge has handed Apple a partial victory in its trade secret dispute with OpenAI, ordering the AI giant to quickly produce recruitment-related documents. The ruling, issued by Judge Edward Davila, could shed light on whether OpenAI improperly poached Apple employees and encouraged them to bring confidential information along.

What exactly did the court approve?

Apple can now obtain materials related to OpenAI's contact with Apple employees before interviews—specifically for roles in OpenAI's consumer hardware and robotics divisions. That timing matters: these recruitment efforts reportedly happened just before rumors surfaced about OpenAI's first hardware device. The documents could include interview lists, guidelines, scripts, technical demonstrations, and records confirming whether "Apple technology or components were mentioned during interviews."

Judge Davila set a tight schedule: OpenAI must provide the organized materials within 5 days and complete the remaining related materials within 14 days. He also approved Apple's access to private LINE chat records involving OpenAI employees Liu Chang and Peng Ailisa, and ordered out-of-court depositions of the two individuals and hardware chief Deng Yaotan—all of whom previously worked at Apple.

The allegations: chips, blueprints, and "teaching" leavers

Apple's complaint pulls no punches. It claims former Apple employees downloaded confidential information using company laptops—including unpublished technical specifications, engineering demonstrations, and exclusive project data. Even more striking: former Apple employees who joined OpenAI are accused of "teaching" potential leavers what information to bring during interviews.

The backdrop? OpenAI is developing consumer hardware that could compete with the iPhone. That's the root of Apple's concern—and the reason this case is being watched so closely.

Not everything went Apple's way

Judge Davila didn't rubber-stamp all of Apple's requests. He denied expedited discovery for specific research materials like metal surface treatment and power management, as well as broader hardware research materials and output from former Apple employees after they joined OpenAI.

But he left the door open: Apple can narrow the scope and reapply. In other words, this battle over trade secrets is far from over.

Key Points

  • Court order: OpenAI must hand over recruitment materials, including interview lists and scripts, within 5 days; remaining materials due in 14 days.
  • Depositions and chats: Apple gets access to LINE chat records and can depose three former Apple employees now at OpenAI.
  • Apple's claims: Former employees downloaded confidential specs and blueprints; some allegedly coached leavers on what to bring.
  • Partial denial: Judge denied some expedited discovery requests but allowed Apple to reapply with a narrower scope.
  • Why it matters: OpenAI's hardware ambitions could threaten the iPhone, making this case a bellwether for trade secret battles in the AI hardware era.