OpenAI Has 5 Days to Hand Apple Interview Files for Ex-Apple Hires

News Summary

A federal judge has ordered OpenAI to give Apple fast access to a defined set of hiring records in the trade secrets lawsuit Apple filed against the AI company in July 2026. TechCrunch reported the ruling on October 13, 2026, at 1:36 PM Pacific Time. The order covers interview materials for former Apple employees who applied to OpenAI's consumer hardware and robotics groups, and it also approves three depositions. The judge declined several broader requests, so this is a partial win for Apple at an early stage of the case.

What the Court Ordered

U.S. District Judge Edward Davila issued the discovery ruling. The article does not name the court, but the docket reference points to the Northern District of California. The exact date of the order was not given in the reporting reviewed here.

Apple gets expedited access to OpenAI's interview materials for former Apple employees who applied to its consumer hardware and robotics groups. These include interview checklists, guides, scripts and technical presentations. They also include records of interview discussions that referenced Apple technology or components.

The order sets two deadlines. OpenAI has 5 days to produce materials it has already collected and 14 days for other related materials.

Apple can also obtain private messages sent on the LINE messaging app between named individuals, including OpenAI employees Chang Liu and Alyssa Peng. The court approved depositions of Liu, Peng and Tang Yew Tan, OpenAI's chief hardware officer. According to the report, all three are former Apple employees.

What the Judge Declined

The court denied Apple's request for expedited access to OpenAI research and development in specific areas, such as metal finishes and power management. It also turned down several broader requests, including access to OpenAI's hardware research and information about what former Apple employees created while at OpenAI.

The denial is not final. Apple may narrow its requests and ask again. That leaves room for a second round of discovery fights if the first batch of hiring records shows something worth pursuing.

Background on the Lawsuit

OpenAI is developing a consumer hardware device that could eventually compete with the iPhone. Apple filed its trade secrets suit in July 2026, alleging a pattern of misappropriation through hiring.

Apple claims that former employees downloaded confidential files from Apple laptops, including material on unannounced technologies, features and products. It also claims that former Apple employees now at OpenAI coached other candidates on what information to bring to job interviews.

Other coverage of the early case describes similar allegations. Reports say Apple's complaint names Chang Liu and Tang Yew Tan, and alleges that OpenAI's chief hardware officer asked Apple employees who were interviewing to discuss unreleased work and to bring Apple hardware to "show and tell" sessions. Apple also sought a preliminary injunction and depositions of corporate representatives of OpenAI and io Products.

OpenAI's Position

On August 5, 2026, OpenAI asked the court to dismiss the case. It described the complaint as "built on selectively excerpted communications and ordinary conduct stripped of context." A motion to dismiss is a separate question from discovery, and the reporting reviewed here does not say how or when the court will rule on it.

One earlier report noted that if the case survives, discovery could expose sensitive details about both companies' hiring, hardware development and data-security practices. This ruling is the first concrete sign of that happening.

Why It Matters for Technology Teams

Trade secret disputes often turn on hiring evidence: what candidates were asked, what they were told to prepare, and what they carried between employers. Interview checklists and technical presentations can show whether questions probed for confidential knowledge or stayed within general skills.

For companies that hire from competitors, the case is a reminder to document interview practices and to make clear that candidates should not bring or share previous employers' confidential material. For engineers changing jobs, it shows how closely courts may look at the interview stage, not only at what happens after someone joins.

What to Watch Next

Three things are worth tracking. The first is whether OpenAI meets the 5-day and 14-day production deadlines. The second is what comes out of the Liu, Peng and Tan depositions. The third is whether Apple narrows and renews its denied requests, and whether the court rules on OpenAI's motion to dismiss.

Our own searches did not independently find a second outlet confirming the discovery order, so details here rest mainly on TechCrunch's report and should be checked against the court docket as the case develops.