On August 3, Chinese AI company Zhizhen Intelligent Network Technology (Xiao-i Robot) filed a US$1.4 billion patent infringement lawsuit against Apple, asking the latter to stop “manufacturing, using, promising to sell, sell, and import patent-infringing products”. The lawsuit is being handled by the Shanghai Higher People’s Court. Yuan Hui, the founder and chairman of Zhizhen Intelligent Network, has formerly filed patent application for “a chat bot system” in August 2004, receiving authorization in July 2009. The company believes that Apple Siri’s entrance into the Chinese market in June 2012 violated its chat bot patent. After eight years of prolonged lawsuit, the Shanghai court upheld Xiao’i’s claim against Siri, hence restarting the litigation process. Apple has expressed disappointment in a response statement, stating that its voice recognition product does not include features in the Xiao-i patent.
Chinese AI Company Xiao-i Sues Apple Siri for US$1.4 Billion
Chinese AI company Zhizhen Intelligent Network Technology filed a US$1.4 billion patent infringement lawsuit against Apple.
Patent disputes involving AI are fascinating because the technology often moves faster than the legal questions around it. I once received a suspicious email attachment that looked like a fake court order letter , and it made me more careful about verifying legal documents before taking them seriously. Cases like Xiao-i and Siri show how complicated ownership can become when similar ideas develop across markets. I also find the long timeline interesting, since technology can change dramatically while a lawsuit is still moving through court. Following disputes like this helps me understand how patents can shape competition in the tech industry.