Apple wins expanded access to evidence in OpenAI trade secrets lawsuit

Apple has secured expanded access to evidence in its trade secrets misappropriation lawsuit against former employees Chang Liu and Tang Tan, as well as tech companies OpenAI and io Products. The case, initiated in July, alleges that the defendants improperly accessed or used confidential Apple information to aid OpenAI’s consumer hardware development efforts.

Judge Edward Davila partially granted Apple’s request for expedited discovery, allowing the company to access select internal documents, forensic evidence, and employee testimony. However, he delayed ruling on broader requests due to concerns over Apple’s definition of "Apple Originated Information." Following a revised definition agreed upon by both parties, Judge Davila expanded Apple’s access to records related to the handling of confidential information by the former employees, their use of AI tools, and OpenAI’s recruitment and hardware development practices.

The judge denied requests for details about OpenAI’s internal operations and potential deletion of confidential Apple information. Additionally, two requests for corporate testimony were deemed too broad for this stage and will be pursued through the regular discovery process. The defendants have 14 days to respond to the new orders.