Anthropic trademark dispute in India: Bengaluru firm sues US AI giant for Rs 1 crore

As the American AI (artificial intelligence) company Anthropic ramps up its expansion into the Indian market, it has become embroiled in a legal battle with a local software firm from Bengaluru. The Indian company claims it has been operating under the same name for years, leading to significant brand confusion.

According to a report by TechCrunch, the Bengaluru-based Anthropic Software filed a complaint in a Karnataka commercial court in January. The firm asserts that it has utilised the “Anthropic” name since 2017, well before the US AI giant’s recent entry into the region.

The Indian firm is seeking formal recognition of its prior use of the name, relief and protection to prevent further customer confusion and damages amounting to Rs 10 million (Rs 1 crore).

Mohammad Ayyaz Mulla, the founder and director of the Indian ‘Anthropic Software’, clarified that the objective is not necessarily to be confrontational but to achieve clarity. Speaking to TechCrunch, Mulla noted that legal action is currently a necessity as the overlap is causing “huge confusion” for his existing clientele.

He remains open to resolving the issue through coexistence but maintains that the lawsuit is a vital fallback to protect his legal rights.

This dispute surfaces at a critical time for the US-based Anthropic. The AI firm recently appointed Irina Ghose, the former managing director of Microsoft India, to spearhead its local operations. These moves underline India’s status as a key battleground for AI developers like Anthropic and OpenAI, given its position as one of the world’s fastest-growing internet markets.

The legal friction coincides with the upcoming AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, where Anthropic co-founder and CEO Dario Amodei is expected to appear alongside other global tech leaders such as Sam Altman and Sundar Pichai.

In a court order dated 20 January, the Karnataka court issued a suit summons and notice to the US firm. However, the court declined to grant an interim injunction at this stage. The case is scheduled for its next hearing on 16 February.