How long does OpenAI have to turn over the materials?

OpenAI has five days to produce materials it has already collected and 14 days for any other materials related to the request.

Who will be deposed in the case?

The judge approved depositions for Chang Liu, Alyssa Peng, and OpenAI's chief hardware officer, Tang Yew Tan.

What did the judge deny Apple?

The judge denied expedited access to OpenAI's research and development in areas like metal finishes and power management, as well as broader discovery requests.

AI Business & IndustryTechCrunch AI12m agoOct 14, 2026, 06:00 JST

Judge Edward Davila grants Apple expedited OpenAI hiring records

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3 Key Points

What happened
Judge Edward Davila gave Apple expedited access to OpenAI's interview materials with former Apple employees, plus LINE messages from Chang Liu and Alyssa Peng and depositions for Liu, Peng, and Tang Yew Tan.
Why it matters
Apple can now examine whether OpenAI's interviewing process touched its technology, while the judge denied access to OpenAI's research on metal finishes and power management.

WHO IT HITSApple's legal team can use the interview checklists, guides, and scripts to build its trade secrets case, while OpenAI faces producing those documents and making Liu, Peng, and Tang Yew Tan available for depositions.

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Context & Analysis

The ruling stems from a lawsuit Apple filed in July, which accused OpenAI of a pattern of theft. Apple claimed former employees used Apple laptops to download confidential material about unannounced technologies, and that former Apple employees at OpenAI coached others on what information to bring to interviews.

The documents now within Apple's reach — interview checklists, guides, instructions, manuals, scripts, technical presentations — could show whether interview discussions referenced Apple technology or components. That is why the judge let Apple expedite this part of discovery while denying access to OpenAI's research in metal finishes and power management.

At the same time, the judge left open the possibility that Apple could narrow its broader requests and try again. The case runs alongside OpenAI's development of a consumer hardware device, which the body describes as potentially rivaling the iPhone if it becomes central to how consumers engage with software and services.

FAQ

How long does OpenAI have to turn over the materials?: OpenAI has five days to produce materials it has already collected and 14 days for any other materials related to the request.
Who will be deposed in the case?: The judge approved depositions for Chang Liu, Alyssa Peng, and OpenAI's chief hardware officer, Tang Yew Tan.
What did the judge deny Apple?: The judge denied expedited access to OpenAI's research and development in areas like metal finishes and power management, as well as broader discovery requests.

TechCrunch AIRead Original Article

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