Google Quietly Settles A Multi-billion Dollar AI Lawsuit Filed By Singular Computing

The race to take the lead in the artificial intelligence (AI) world is heating up with each company trying to implement the technology across their consumer-facing offerings and in internal systems. Yet, this requires businesses to solve existing industry-wide problems quickly and adopt the technology faster than their competitors.

Unfortunately, in the scramble, some companies find themselves in the middle of making mistakes and taking wrong steps.

One such incident included one of the biggest tech conglomerates in the world, Google, facing a lawsuit by hardware and software development company, Singular Computing. Now, we have a new development in the AI lawsuit.

So, what did Singular Computing accuse Google of doing and what was the outcome? Let’s explore!
 

What Did Singular Computing Accuse Google Of Doing?

 

• Around three weeks ago, Singular Computing, a company founded by  Massachusetts-based computer scientist Joseph Bates, took Alphabet’s Google to court before a federal jury in Boston, as per a complaint filed on December 20, 2019. 

• Bates’ claimed that Google infringed patents that are used to power AI technology in Google’s products and that it should be made to pay Singular Computing $1.67 billion in damages.

• According to Bates’ lawyer, Kerry Timbers, Google copied his technology after he met with them between 2010 and 2014 and shared his computer-processing innovations aimed at solving AI-related problems.

• Furthermore, Google used his patented technology without licensing to develop their own AI chips.

• His innovations were built into Google’s Tensor Processing Units and used in products like Google Search, Google Translate, Gmail and other services.

• Internal emails cited in the lawsuit conveyed Google employees wrote Bates’ ideas were “really well suited” for what Google needed.

• In an opening statement, Timbers said, “This case is about something we all learned a long time ago: respect for others, don’t take what doesn’t belong to you, and give credit where credit is due.”

• However, as per Google and its lawyer, Robert Van Nest, the Google employees who designed the company’s chips never met Bates and had no influence from the employees that met him.

• This includes Google saying they had no knowledge of patents 8407273B2, 9218156B2 and 10416961B2.

• Speaking to the jury, Ven Nest said, “Google's chips are fundamentally different, fundamentally different, than what is described in Singular's patents.”

• Furthermore, Google claimed that Singular Computing’s initial request was for $7 billion in damages.

 

What Are The New Developments?

 

• As per reports, Singular Computing settled the lawsuit against Google in a settlement out of federal court in Massachusetts for an undisclosed amount.

• This put an end to an around 5-year-long civil case against Google for patent infringement.

• It’s important to remember that an out-of-court settlement doesn’t mean Google was guilty of its accusations but acts as a way to ensure both sides avoid a trial.

• Google didn’t provide a comment on the matter, however, Google spokesperson José Castañeda said, “We have always taken our disclosure obligations seriously and we will continue to do so.”

• Singular Comments and its representatives provided no comment.

While the case has ended, we’re seeing more infringement and privacy violations filed in AI-driven industries, leading many lawmakers to demand for a transparent and fair system of AI adoption. From concerns around visual replication in Generative AI to the latest copyright violation filed by the New York Times against OpenAI, businesses need to be careful not to misuse patented AI technologies.

Do you think AI companies need stronger regulation and transparency when developing AI technologies and software? Should an industry-leader like Google be held to higher standards in the case of copyright infringement?

Let us know in the comments below!