Judge grants Apple expedited discovery in OpenAI trade-secrets case
What happened
U.S. District Judge Edward Davila on Tuesday, October 13 granted Apple expedited discovery in its trade-secrets lawsuit against OpenAI. OpenAI must turn over already-collected hiring materials within five days and other responsive materials within 14 days, covering interviews with former Apple employees who applied for roles in OpenAI's consumer hardware and robotics groups — including interview checklists, guides, scripts, technical presentations and records of whether Apple technology was discussed. The judge also approved depositions of three former Apple employees now at OpenAI — Chang Liu, Alyssa Peng and chief hardware officer Tang Yew Tan — and access to private LINE messages between named individuals. The court denied Apple's broader expedited requests, including OpenAI R&D on metal finishes, power management and battery functionality, leaving Apple free to narrow and refile those.
Why it matters & what’s next are part of Pro, along with the audio summary.
Start your free 14-day trialWho’s affected & sources
Who’s affected
- Apple (AAPL) — partial procedural win strengthens its trade-secrets case and its push for a preliminary injunction against OpenAI's hardware work
- OpenAI (private) — faces fast-turnaround disclosure of hiring materials, private messages and executive depositions
Sources