OpenAI has voluntarily agreed not to use Apple's alleged trade secrets while the legal battle between the two companies plays out, according to Bloomberg. The agreement came during a hearing where Judge Edward Davila indicated he was "highly likely" to grant Apple's request for a preliminary injunction against OpenAI.
Apple filed its trade secret misappropriation lawsuit against two former employees, Chang Liu and Tang Tan, along with OpenAI and io Products. Apple alleges that a former employee who left OpenAI to return to Apple took more than 100 confidential files related to its unreleased hardware. Apple also sought expedited discovery, requesting early access to internal documents, forensic evidence, and employee testimony, and many of those requests were granted the day before the hearing.
As part of the agreement, OpenAI committed to collecting forensic images of devices from 14 employees that may contain Apple's confidential information. Judge Davila will have authority to enforce the agreement, meaning OpenAI could face court-imposed sanctions if it fails to comply.
The judge also pushed back on some of Apple's demands, calling its request to inspect every device and repository that might contain its trade secrets a "huge ask." Apple's attorney, John M. Desmarais, responded that the company would limit inspections to a small group of former employees, adding that OpenAI doesn't have "400 bad apples" but rather "a few bad apples and know who they are."
Source: 9to5Mac · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing