The U.S. Magistrate Judge Hal R. Ray Jr. has denied a request from X and xAI for access to OpenAI’s source code, ruling that it is not relevant to their antitrust claims. The judge expressed concerns over excessive discovery requests and disputes in the ongoing legal battle, which began last year when X and xAI filed a lawsuit against Apple and OpenAI.
Elon Musk has alleged that Apple's collaboration with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into iOS is hindering competition for AI applications in the App Store. This claim, however, was refuted by numerous users of X. The lawsuit has progressed into the discovery phase, where both sides are exchanging evidence, but it has faced complications due to multiple motions filed by X and xAI to compel Apple and OpenAI to provide extensive documentation.
Despite the legal maneuvers, including requests for information from several foreign companies involved with “super apps,” the court concluded that the requested source code did not meet the standards set forth in Rule 26 for disclosure. The ruling emphasizes that without prior attempts to gather necessary information without sensitive data, such requests cannot be granted.