A U.S. judge has mandated that OpenAI disclose internal hiring records following allegations of trade secret theft by Apple. The ruling requires OpenAI to produce documents related to the recruitment of former Apple employees. This legal development marks a major step in the intensifying rivalry between the two technology companies as OpenAI expands into hardware.
U.S. District Judge Edward Davila has ordered OpenAI to provide Apple with internal hiring documents as part of an ongoing legal battle over trade secrets. The court decision grants Apple expedited access to records generated during the recruitment of former Apple staff, specifically those who moved to OpenAI’s consumer hardware and robotics divisions.
OpenAI faces a strict schedule to comply with the ruling. The company has five days to surrender documents it has already collected and 14 days to provide the remaining required materials. The scope of this discovery includes interview checklists, technical presentations, and internal communications.
As part of the court order, Apple has been authorized to proceed with the deposition of three high-ranking former Apple employees who now hold positions at OpenAI: Chief Hardware Officer Tang Yew Tan, Chang Liu, and Alyssa Peng. The court also mandated the disclosure of private communications involving these individuals, specifically on the LINE messaging app.
While the ruling is a significant development for Apple, the court did not grant all of the company’s requests. Judge Davila rejected Apple's immediate push for access to sensitive OpenAI research files, including information on power management and metal finishes. The court also denied the request to access broader hardware development files or details on specific work performed by former employees after they joined OpenAI. These decisions were procedural, and the judge noted that Apple may revise its requests and bring them back to court in future hearings.
The legal dispute, which began with a lawsuit filed in July 2026, centers on Apple's allegation that OpenAI conducted a systematic campaign to misappropriate trade secrets, including engineering specifications and unannounced product features, during the hiring of more than 400 former Apple employees. OpenAI is a private company and does not have publicly traded shares, but the case is significant for the tech sector, reflecting the high stakes involved as OpenAI shifts from pure software development to building physical consumer electronics.
For now, the focus shifts to how OpenAI manages the compliance process within the court-imposed deadlines. Investors and industry observers are watching the case closely, as the outcome could set legal precedents for how technology companies recruit talent and handle proprietary information during staff transitions. The next major updates will likely depend on the evidence revealed in the newly ordered disclosures and the upcoming depositions.