Baidu Sues Apple, Different App Builders Over Pretend Copies of Ernie Bot App

Chinese language search engine big Baidu has filed lawsuits in opposition to “related” app builders and Apple over pretend copies of its Ernie bot app out there on Apple’s App Retailer.

The corporate’s synthetic intelligence powered Ernie bot, launched final month, has been touted as China’s closest reply to the US-developed chatbot ChatGPT.

Baidu mentioned it had lodged lawsuits in Beijing Haidian Individuals’s Court docket in opposition to the builders behind the counterfeit functions of its Ernie bot and the Apple firm.

“At current, Ernie doesn’t have any official app,” Baidu mentioned in a press release late on Friday posted on its official “Baidu AI” WeChat account.

It additionally posted {a photograph} of its court docket submitting.

“Till our firm’s official announcement, any Ernie app you see from App Retailer or different shops are pretend,” it mentioned.

Apple didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

A Reuters search on Saturday discovered there have been nonetheless no less than 4 apps bearing the Chinese language-language identify of the Ernie bot, all pretend, in Apple’s App Retailer.

The Ernie bot is simply out there to customers who apply for and obtain entry codes. In its assertion, Baidu additionally warned in opposition to individuals promoting entry codes.

Baidu unveiled its synthetic intelligence-powered chatbot often called Ernie Bot in March this 12 months. Ernie stands quick for “Enhanced Illustration by way of Information Integration”. The recognition of ChatGPT, backed by Microsoft, has triggered a frenzied rush amongst Chinese language tech giants and startups alike to develop a rival. 

Ernie Bot initially opened to solely a gaggle of customers with invitation codes, and corporations can apply to embed the bot into their merchandise through Baidu’s cloud platform.

© Thomson Reuters 2023