Chinese search engine giant, Baidu, has taken legal action against Apple and several app developers over fake copies of its artificial intelligence-powered Ernie bot.
Baidu's Ernie bot, which was launched last month, is being hailed as China's answer to the US-developed chatbot ChatGPT.
The lawsuit is against "relevant" app developers and Apple in the Beijing Haidian People's Court for allowing counterfeit applications of the Ernie bot to be available on the App Store.
Baidu stated its official "Baidu AI" WeChat account, warning that the Ernie bot does not have any official app and that any Ernie app available on the App Store or other stores is fake. The company also posted a photograph of its court filing. Baidu's Ernie bot is currently only available to users who apply for and receive access codes.
Despite Baidu's warning, a Reuters search found at least four apps bearing the Chinese-language name of the Ernie bot, all fake, in Apple's App Store.
According to Reuters, Apple has not yet responded to a request for comment on the matter.
In addition to the legal action, Baidu warned against people selling access codes to its Ernie bot. The company's move to protect its intellectual property highlights the growing concern among tech firms in China over the proliferation of fake products and services in the market.
