What you should know
- Google is preparing for a trial in Boston over allegations that its AI tech processors infringe on patents owned by Singular Computing.
- Singular Computing, led by computer scientist Joseph Bates, claims that Google copied his tech innovations and is seeking $7 billion in damages.
- The trial originates from Bates sharing his processing innovations with Google between 2010 and 2014, with Singular alleging that Google’s Tensor Processing Units, which enhance AI capabilities, copied Bates’ tech and violated patents.
- Google argues that its processors are unique and work differently from the technology patented by Singular, and therefore, Singular’s patents should not be considered valid.
Full Story
Being part of Google’s legal team is no walk in the park. The tech giant frequently finds itself in the crosshairs of various accusations.
Just recently, after a years-long court battle, Google Play Store was declared a monopoly. This was the verdict of a federal jury in the Epic vs Google antitrust lawsuit. However, it seems the legal hustle doesn’t end there.
As per a Reuters report, Google is bracing for another legal battle. This time, it’s in Boston, and it’s over claims that the processors Google uses for its AI technology infringe on patents. These patents are owned by Singular Computing, a company founded by computer scientist Joseph Bates.
The accusations don’t stop at the processors. They extend to Google Search, Gmail, Google Translate, and other services. Singular Computing, led by Bates, alleges that Google copied his tech innovations. The company is seeking a whopping $7 billion in damages. This is double the largest-ever patent infringement award in the US, which was related to the pharma industry.
Google’s response? Well, they’re not taking it lying down. Spokesperson Jose Castaneda labeled Singular’s patents as “dubious”. He stated that Google developed its processors independently. “We look forward to setting the record straight in court,” Castaneda said.
The trial is expected to last two to three weeks. It stems from Bates sharing his processing innovations with Google between 2010 and 2014. Singular alleges that Google’s Tensor Processing Units, which enhance AI capabilities, copied Bates’ tech and violated patents.
Google introduced these processors in 2016. They’re used for speech recognition, content generation, ad recommendations, and more. Singular claims that versions 2 and 3 of these processors, introduced in 2017 and 2018, infringe on patent rights.
These TPUs aren’t typically found in consumer hardware like smartphones or laptops. They operate behind the scenes within Google’s infrastructure. They provide the computational power necessary to run sophisticated AI and machine learning algorithms. These algorithms underpin many of the company’s services.
Google, however, argues that its processors are unique. They claim their processors work differently from the technology patented by Singular. Because of this, Google believes that Singular’s patents should not be considered valid.
The legal drama doesn’t stop there. It also extends to a US appeals court in Washington. Here, arguments about invalidating Singular’s patents will unfold in a separate case appealed by Google. It’s quite the legal showdown, indeed!
