Anthropic’s India growth collides with an area firm that already had the identify

As Anthropic expands into India, an area software program firm has filed a court docket criticism saying it was already utilizing the identify “Anthropic,” spotlighting how the speedy world push of AI corporations can collide with native incumbents.

The submitting comes amid Anthropic deepening its deal with India, asserting an India workplace final October and extra just lately appointing former Microsoft India managing director Irina Ghose to guide its operations within the nation, underscoring the South Asian market’s rising significance to world AI firms increasing past the U.S. and Europe.

In a criticism filed in a industrial court docket in Karnataka in January, reviewed by TechCrunch, the Indian firm Anthropic Software program says it has used the identify since 2017 and that Anthropic’s current entry into India has led to buyer confusion. The agency is searching for recognition of its prior use and aid to stop additional confusion, together with ₹10 million (about $110,000) in damages.

Anthropic Software program founder and director Mohammad Ayyaz Mulla instructed TechCrunch that the Indian firm was not searching for confrontation, however readability and recognition of its prior use in India, including that litigation was a fallback if clear coexistence couldn’t be achieved.

“As of now, I’m exercising my authorized proper because it’s inflicting big confusion to my clients,” he stated.

India, the world’s most populous nation and one of many fastest-growing web markets, has change into a key battleground for AI firms like Anthropic and its rival OpenAI. The nation can also be set to host an AI Affect Summit in New Delhi subsequent week, the place Anthropic co-founder and chief government Dario Amodei is showing alongside different trade leaders like Sam Altman, Jensen Huang, and Sundar Pichai.

A court docket order dated January 20 and seen by TechCrunch exhibits that the court docket has issued discover and go well with summons to Anthropic. Nonetheless, it declined to grant an interim injunction and listed the matter to return on February 16.

Anthropic didn’t reply to a request for remark.