Judge orders OpenAI to share hiring files with Apple

U.S. District Judge Edward Davila granted Apple expedited discovery into OpenAI's recruitment records following allegations that the AI firm improperly acquired proprietary technology. Under the order, OpenAI must produce previously collected hiring documents within five days and supply remaining relevant materials within 14 days. The disclosures cover interview guides, scripts, technical presentations, and internal evaluations for former Apple staff who applied to OpenAI's consumer hardware and robotics teams.

The court also permitted Apple to review private communications sent over the LINE messaging application between specific personnel, including OpenAI employees Chang Liu and Alyssa Peng. Furthermore, Judge Davila authorized depositions for Liu, Peng, and OpenAI Chief Hardware Officer Tang Yew Tan—all three of whom previously worked at Apple. These steps aim to scrutinize claims that former Apple workers brought confidential specifications, engineering presentations, and unannounced project data to their new employer.

While granting targeted access to hiring records, the judge rejected Apple's requests for immediate discovery regarding OpenAI's general hardware research, including specific developments in power management and metal finishes. However, Judge Davila noted that Apple could submit refined, narrower requests for these areas at a later stage in the litigation filed last July.

For hardware developers and enterprise leadership, this legal friction underscores the intense competition for talent in AI-driven device engineering. As OpenAI pushes further into consumer devices that could challenge established platforms, courts are demonstrating a willingness to fast-track targeted evidence collection when trade secrets are allegedly at stake, forcing companies to maintain rigorous compliance boundaries during aggressive talent acquisition.