Google Faces Trademark Infringement Lawsuit Over Gemini AI System
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Google sued for trademark infringement over 'Gemini' AI system
Sept 11 (Reuters) - Alphabet's Google (GOOGL.O), opens new tab has been hit with a lawsuit over its Gemini artificial intelligence system by a small San Francisco AI company that said it has trademark rights to the "Gemini" name. AI firm Gemini Data, founded in 2013, sued Google, opens new tab on Wednesday night in San Francisco federal court, claiming trademark infringement and unfair competition. It asked the court to bar Google from continued use of the "Gemini" name and to award unspecified monetary damages. Advertisement · Scroll to continue The lawsuit alleged Google "knowingly and willfully" trampled on Gemini Data's intellectual property rights by co-opting "Gemini" to brand its AI system. Gemini Data, which makes an AI assistant platform, said Google's use of Gemini would confuse consumers. Google had no immediate comment. Gemini Data and a lawyer for the company did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Google last year launched its "Bard" generative AI platform, allowing users to interact with a human-like source of information. It rebranded the system as "Gemini" in February. Google is racing to incorporate AI into its hardware. Advertisement · Scroll to continue Gemini Data said it has federal trademarks covering "Gemini" for software. The lawsuit said Google was denied a trademark registration for "Gemini" at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office based on likely confusion with Gemini Data's marks. "Google made the calculated decision to bulldoze over Gemini Data's exclusive rights without hesitation," the lawsuit said. The case is Gemini Data Inc v. Google LLC, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 3:24-cv-06412. For Gemini Data: Cheryl Chang of Blank Rome For Google: No appearance yet Read more: Google launches enhanced Pixel phones in bid to leverage AI tech Meta settles trademark lawsuit brought by investment firm Metacapital Meta Platforms hit with US trademark lawsuit from tech company Metabyte Reporting by Mike Scarcella Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab
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Google sued for using trademarked Gemini name for AI service
Gemini Data, which offers an enterprise AI platform, has sued Google for calling its own AI service by the same name. Google renamed its generative AI service from Bard to Gemini in February, after introducing its Gemini model family in December 2023. But the Chocolate Factory did so without evident concern that the name was already in use as an AI brand. "As a sophisticated company, Google undoubtedly conducted a trademark clearance search prior to publicly re-branding its entire line of AI products, and thus was unequivocally aware of Gemini Data's registered and exclusive rights to the 'GEMINI' brand," says the complaint [PDF], filed on Wednesday in San Francisco federal court. "Yet, Google made the calculated decision to bulldoze over Gemini Data's exclusive rights without hesitation." The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) allows similar names for different types of businesses when it's unlikely the name overlap will confuse consumers. However, name duplication in the same industry sector is generally not allowed. Hence, as the complaint points out, Google tried to obtain a trademark for Gemini in September 2023 but was provisionally refused in May. The USPTO said Google's proposed use of the name is confusingly similar to multiple other registered marks, Gemini Institutional, Gemini Clearing, Gemini Gemini Data, Gemini, and My Gemini. Google, which has applied for a three-month extension before the USPTO determination becomes final, did not respond to a request for comment. Following the USPTO refusal, the complaint claims, Google secretly tried to acquire the rights to the name. "Gemini Data was contacted by an 'anonymous' entity regarding the possibility of acquiring rights to the 'GEMINI' brand," the complaint says. "After some back and forth, Gemini Data ultimately suspected that the anonymous entity was acting on behalf of Google and ceased contact with the other party." The legal filing goes on to claim that Google's Gemini chatbot is more open about the trademark conflict. The complaint says, "In an almost laughable example of Google's hubris, if you ask Google's Gemini application if it is aware that it is infringing upon the trademark of Gemini Data Inc., it responds 'Yes' and that '[i]t's a developing situation.'" Back in 2009, Google drew the ire of some software developers for naming its programming language "Go" when there was already a "Go!" programming language. Google is not alone in its affinity for trademarked names. Meta recently settled a trademark lawsuit with Metacapital Management following the social media firm's decision to be known by something other than Facebook. ®
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Google has been sued for trademark infringement by Gemini Solutions Inc. over the use of the name "Gemini" for its AI system. The lawsuit alleges consumer confusion and seeks damages.
Google Sued Over "Gemini" Trademark
Tech giant Google has found itself embroiled in a legal battle over the naming of its latest artificial intelligence system, Gemini. Gemini Solutions Inc., a California-based software development company, has filed a lawsuit against Google, alleging trademark infringement and unfair competition
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.The Plaintiff's Claims
Gemini Solutions, which has been using the "Gemini" name since 2013, asserts that Google's use of the same name for its AI system has led to significant consumer confusion. The company claims it has received numerous inquiries from clients and potential customers who mistakenly believed there was a connection between Gemini Solutions and Google's AI product
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.Potential Damages and Injunction
The lawsuit, filed in San Francisco federal court, seeks unspecified monetary damages from Google. Additionally, Gemini Solutions is pursuing an injunction to prevent Google from using the "Gemini" name for its AI system
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.Google's AI Ambitions
Google introduced its Gemini AI model in December 2023, positioning it as a competitor to OpenAI's GPT-4. The system is designed to process various types of data, including text, images, and video. Google has been integrating Gemini into its products and services, including the Bard chatbot, which has since been rebranded as Gemini
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.Trademark Disputes in Tech
This case highlights the ongoing challenges tech companies face in naming their products and services. With the rapid pace of innovation in the AI field, conflicts over intellectual property, including trademarks, are becoming increasingly common
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Google's Response
As of the filing of the lawsuit, Google had not yet responded to requests for comment on the allegations. The tech giant will likely need to address these claims in court and potentially defend its decision to use the "Gemini" name for its AI system
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.Implications for AI Branding
The lawsuit raises questions about the due diligence process for naming AI systems and other tech products. As AI continues to evolve and become more integrated into various industries, companies may need to be more cautious about potential trademark conflicts to avoid similar legal challenges in the future
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