We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again; Apple is now stranger when it comes to addressing lawsuits, whether dealt with consecutively or all at once. On that note, the fruit company got hit with another patent lawsuit, this time involving its AI assistant, Siri.
The lawsuit was reportedly filed by the China-based Zhizhen Network Technology, who is accusing the company from Cupertino of infringing on its AI-based assistant, Xiao-i. The company had been awarded the patent rights by the Shanghai Supreme Court. For Apple’s alleged transgression, the company is also seeking financial compensation to the sum of US$1.4 billion (~RM5.9 billion).
In addition to the financial compensation, Zhizhen Network Technology is also hoping to obtain a full-on ban on Siri-enabled products across China. Considering that Siri is primarily and only used in Apple products, the spectrum of the ban would undoubtedly include the iPhone, iPad, Macs, MacBooks, HomePod, and all of Apple’s wearables. Including the AirPods and Apple Watch.
In Apple’s case, there is still a chance for the company to strike out the lawsuit; as it stands, Zhizhen Network Technology still needs to prove that Apple’s Siri is an exact replica of its own AI assistant and technology. Which, as anyone will tell you, is going to be a tough uphill battle for the Chinese company. Especially since Xiao-i supposedly doesn’t host features that are synonymous with Siri.
(Source: Techspot)
