Judge grants Apple limited early access to OpenAI records

A federal judge has granted Apple expedited access to selected OpenAI records and testimony in its trade-secrets lawsuit, while declining to fast-track access to some technical research and broader materials. U.S. District Judge Edward Davila ordered OpenAI to produce interview-related records concerning former Apple employees who applied for roles in its consumer hardware and robotics groups. The materials include interview guides, scripts, checklists, instructions, manuals and technical presentations that could show whether Apple technology or components were discussed during recruitment. The order also allows Apple to obtain LINE messages involving people named in the case, including former Apple employees Chang Liu and Alyssa Peng, who later joined OpenAI. Davila approved depositions of Liu, Peng and Tang Yew Tan, OpenAI’s chief hardware officer and a former Apple employee. The court also authorized depositions of corporate representatives, according to one account of the order. OpenAI has five days to produce materials it has already collected and 14 days to produce other requested materials, the order says.