In a significant legal development, Alphabet’s Google has settled a patent infringement lawsuit related to the artificial intelligence (AI) technology driving the company’s operations. The lawsuit, filed by Massachusetts-based Singular Computing in 2019, alleged that Google incorporated its computer-processing innovations into various AI offerings, including Google Search, Gmail, and Google Translate.

The legal battle, which sought $1.67 billion in damages, centered around Google’s use of processing units for AI applications, such as content creation, speech recognition, and ad targeting, beginning in 2016. Singular Computing claimed that Google’s introduction of processing units in 2017 and 2018 violated its patent rights.

During the trial, Singular Computing’s lawyer, Kerry Timbers, argued that Google had copied the technology after multiple meetings between 2010 and 2014. Timbers stated, “This case is about something we all learned a long time ago: respect for others, don’t take what doesn’t belong to you, and give credit where credit is due.”

In response, Google’s lawyer, Robert Van Nest, countered that the employees designing the chips had never met with Singular Computing, emphasizing the fundamental differences between Google’s chips and the ones described in Singular’s patents.

The settlement was reached on the day scheduled for closing arguments, bringing an end to the legal dispute. However, specific details of the settlement, including financial terms, remain undisclosed.

The case highlights the escalating competition in the development of efficient AI chips, driven by the exponential growth of AI technology. Notably, major players in the industry, including Intel, Nvidia, AMD, and OpenAI (parent company of ChatGPT), are engaged in a race for AI semiconductor dominance. OpenAI, in particular, has announced plans to design and manufacture its own AI chips.

As AI technology continues to advance rapidly, legal disputes like these underscore the critical role that specialized chips play in shaping the landscape of artificial intelligence. The settlement brings an end to a chapter in the ongoing evolution of AI technology, with companies striving for innovation and dominance in the competitive field of AI chip development.