Judge orders OpenAI to turn over hiring records in Apple trade secrets case

Key Points:

• A judge has ordered OpenAI to provide Apple expedited access to hiring materials related to former Apple employees who interviewed for OpenAI’s consumer hardware and robotics groups, amid Apple’s trade secrets lawsuit filed in July.
• The materials to be shared include interview documents such as checklists, guides, scripts, technical presentations, and records referencing Apple technology, with OpenAI required to deliver collected materials within five days and others within 14 days.
• Apple alleges that former employees stole confidential information, including technical specifications and proprietary project data, and coached others on what Apple information to bring to OpenAI interviews.
• The judge approved depositions of three former Apple employees now at OpenAI and access to private messages between key individuals but denied Apple’s requests for expedited access to OpenAI’s broader hardware research and development documents.
• The court left open the possibility for Apple to narrow and resubmit its requests for additional discovery related to OpenAI’s hardware projects.