A Karnataka software startup, Anthropic Software, has sued US AI giant Anthropic AI in a Belagavi court. Founded in 2017, the Indian firm accuses the US company of using its brand name, leading to confusion and impacting its visibility.
A software startup based out of Karnatka which is named Anthropic Software Private ltd has filed a complaint in a Belagavi Court, accusing the San Francisco-based AI giant of using the same brand name as that of their firm. According to the Karnata baed company it was founded in 2017. Anthropic AI San Francisco is a premier AI safety and research company founded in 2021.
Founder Stakes Claim on 'Anthropic' Brand
Speaking to ANI, Anthropic Software Founder & Director, Mohammad Ayyaz Mulla, claimed, "We use ourselves as an Anthropic as a brand. So our mark is Anthropic, which we are using across our social media handles and Play Store account. We are generally known, within our customer circle and beyond, as an Anthropic, searchable everywhere, and that is since 2017. We are a Startup Karnataka, Startup India registered company. We have three patents on our name. I am a software engineer with 20 years plus experience. I worked in domains like cybersecurity expert, telecom, high-performance computing. I worked with companies like Intel, QLogic, Bell Labs, Alcatel, Symantec. I was there also in the US for a while in New Jersey, California, Philadelphia. So I have a good experience of industrial background."
Alleges Brand Confusion and Market Presence
Ayaz Mulla claims that since the Karnataka based company uses Anthropic as a brand name there is a confusion started in searchability, in visibility. "They have taken over the internet, that is because they are more popular. But then we are using the mark, but we are using it from 2017. We are 2017 registered and we also have 4,400 educational institutions on our kitty, lakhs of students are using. In fact, now we are going for a million users for a scholarship program," Mulla stated.
Seeks to Prohibit US Firm's Brand Use
"This increased more when they announced their Indian entry, which happened in December 2025. And they are having an office now in Bangalore. Considering that, we asked the court to let them come; there is no problem, but we want our brand to be there with us. We don't want them to use 'Anthropic' as a brand to promote their products," Mulla added.
US AI Giant Yet to Respond
Anthropic USA opened a Bengaluru office on February 16 announcing partnerships across enterprise, education, and agriculture that deepen our commitment to India across a range of sectors. They are yet to comment on the complaint filed by the Karnataka based startup.
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