Google Settles $1.67 Billion Patent Lawsuit with AI Startup Singular Computing
• Google settled a $1.67 billion patent infringement lawsuit with Singular Computing right before closing arguments were set to begin. Settlement terms are undisclosed.
• Lawsuit alleged Google's Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) violated Singular patents filed in 2009 regarding AI architectures.
• Singular founder Dr. Joseph Bates claims he confidentially showed patented technologies to Google executives 3 times from 2010-2014.
• Internal emails show Google Chief Scientist Jeff Dean thought Bates' designs were well-suited for Google workloads.
• Google maintained it created TPUs independently and its team never met with Bates, though it agreed to settle without admitting wrongdoing.