Judge Grants Apple Expedited Access To OpenAI Hiring Records - Dataconomy
Apple won expedited access to OpenAI hiring materials after a judge approved part of its discovery request in the trade secrets lawsuit it filed in July.
OpenAI must provide relevant materials it has already collected within five days and any additional materials covered by the request within 14 days. The court agreed with Apple that the interview documents warranted expedited production.
U.S. District Judge Edward Davila allowed Apple to obtain documents related to interviews with former Apple employees who applied for positions in OpenAI’s consumer hardware and robotics groups.
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Subscribe NowThe materials could include interview checklists, guides, instructions, manuals and scripts, along with technical presentations and records indicating whether interviews referenced Apple technology or components.
Davila also granted access to private messages exchanged through the LINE messaging app between individuals named in the case, including OpenAI employees Chang Liu and Alyssa Peng.
The judge approved depositions of Liu, Peng and OpenAI chief hardware officer Tang Yew Tan. All three previously worked at Apple.
Apple alleged in its lawsuit that OpenAI engaged in a pattern of theft, including former employees using Apple laptops to download confidential materials. Apple said the files contained information about unannounced technologies, features and products, including technical specifications, engineering presentations and proprietary project data.
Apple also alleged that former employees working at OpenAI coached other prospective recruits from Apple on what information to bring to their interviews.
OpenAI is developing a consumer hardware device ahead of the rumored launch of its first hardware product.
Davila denied Apple’s request for expedited access to OpenAI research and development in areas such as metal finishes and power management. He also rejected broader discovery requests covering OpenAI’s hardware research and information about work former Apple employees created at OpenAI.
The denials were not final: Davila allowed Apple to narrow those requests and seek the information again.