New Delhi: A Karnataka court has issued fresh summons to US-based artificial intelligence firm Anthropic in a trademark dispute with a Belagavi-based software company that claims prior use of the same brand name in India. The case was filed by Mohammed Ayaz, founder of Anthropic Software Private Ltd., who says his company has operated under the name since 2017.
The Principal District and Commercial Court in Belagavi directed that summons be served on officials at the company’s newly opened Bengaluru office after representatives of the US firm failed to appear before the court on February 16. The dispute comes at a time when the American AI company is expanding its footprint in India.
Fresh summons after no show in court
In court proceedings, the summons was granted after due process was followed, with guidelines being applicable to foreign entities. In the event that a representative was not present during the previous hearing date, new notices were issued so that the company will respond to the complaint.
The Indian company has turned to the commercial court seeking an injunction to stop the US-based company from using the name Anthropic in India. It claims to have been infringed through trademarks, brand dilution, and confusion amongst the customers due to the same name.
Founder claims prior use since 2017
Anthropic Software Private Ltd Founder and Director Mohammed Ayaz claimed his company was registered in 2017 in the state of Karnataka, and he has used the name since that date.
“We are a 2017 registered company. For a startup, identity is everything. “Our identity is being destroyed,” he said. Ayaz added that investors and customers are confused, and online searches for “Anthropic” often lead users to the US company’s website instead of his domain, anthropic.in.
He claims this has made his company “invisible” in the digital space. “Even though we are smaller, we are the prior user of the brand name in India,” he said.
Business impact and patent claims
Anthropic Software Private Ltd focuses on digital platforms in education, connectivity, and safety. Ayaz said the company holds two patents, one related to driving safety and another linked to WiFi monetisation.
He also stated that the Karnataka government had supported one of their road safety innovations designed to prevent accidents caused by distracted driving. The company is currently preparing to launch a new technology aimed at reducing internet costs. However, Ayaz said fundraising efforts have been affected due to brand confusion.
To support his claims, he has submitted company registration documents, Startup India recognition papers, and patent certificates to the court.
Previous legal notice and US firm’s expansion
Ayaz said the US-based company had sent them a legal notice in August 2025. He claimed that the American firm was aware of the Indian company’s existence before registering and expanding operations in India.
Meanwhile, the US-based AI company recently opened its Bengaluru office, marking its second Asia location after Tokyo. It has described India as its second-largest market for its AI assistant platform and said its revenue run rate in the country has doubled since announcing expansion plans in October 2025.
The case will now proceed before the Belagavi commercial court, which will hear arguments from both sides. The outcome could have implications for brand protection and startup rights in India’s fast-growing technology sector.