IT之家 On October 14, a judge ruled that Apple can quickly access OpenAI’s recruitment-related materials in the trade secret lawsuit filed by Apple against OpenAI in July.
Specifically, the court allowed Apple to access relevant documents related to the records of Apple employees before the OpenAI interview. These applicants applied for positions in OpenAI’s consumer hardware and robotics department, and the recruitment took place before the rumored release of OpenAI’s first hardware device.
The file content may include interview checklists, guidelines, descriptions, manuals, interview scripts, as well as technical demonstration materials and records that prove the Apple technologies or components mentioned during the interview discussion.
The court determined that these documents should be retrieved first, requiring OpenAI to hand over the fully organized materials within five days, and the remaining materials related to this retrieval request must be submitted within 14 days.
IT Home noticed that the background of this lawsuit is that OpenAI is developing a consumer-grade hardware device. If this artificial intelligence device becomes a key component in users' lives, interactions between software and services, it may compete with iPhone and the entire smartphone market.
In the complaint, Apple claims that OpenAI has a series of acts of stealing business secrets. One of the direct accusations is that former Apple employees used Apple laptops to download confidential materials, and the files contain technical specifications, engineering presentations, and exclusive project data that have not yet been made public.
Apple also made several accusations, claiming that former Apple employees working at OpenAI would guide those who plan to switch from Apple to OpenAI, telling them what information they can bring with them during interviews.
U.S. District Judge Edward Davila did not approve all of Apple’s requests to quickly access the relevant documents and communication records, but he ruled that Apple could obtain the interview materials, as well as private messages on the LINE communication app belonging to the people involved in the case, including OpenAI employee Chang Liu and Alyssa Peng.
The judge also approved out-of-court evidence collection against Liu Chang, Peng Ailisha, and the third person, Tang Yew Tan, the Head of OpenAI Hardware. All three have worked at Apple.
However, the judge rejected Apple’s request to quickly obtain specific research materials from OpenAI in certain fields, such as metal surface treatment and power management. The judge also denied several broader evidence disclosure requests from Apple, including access to OpenAI’s hardware research materials and information related to the work produced by former Apple employees after they joined OpenAI.
But this rejection is not a final decision. The judge said that Apple could narrow the scope of its application and submit it again.