Alexander Lewis
Nov 14, 2023
Alphabet's tech giant, Google, has launched legal proceedings against five unidentified scammers responsible for duping individuals seeking the AI chatbot Bard. These scammers lured unsuspecting users into downloading malicious software by posing as legitimate Bard providers.
The lawsuit, filed in California's Northern District, asserts that the scammers operated via social media, enticing users to download a counterfeit Bard version. Upon installation, the software infiltrated users' devices, granting the scammers access to their social media accounts.
This legal action marks a significant step by Google in addressing emerging challenges associated with the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence technologies worldwide.
Halimah DeLaine Prado, Google's general counsel, stressed the rise in scams exploiting the growing popularity of generative AI tools. "As public interest in new AI advancements grows, scammers increasingly exploit unsuspecting users," Prado stated in a blog post released on Monday morning.
The scammers behind Facebook profiles like "Google AI," "AIGoogle," "AiGoogle," "AIGoogle.Plus," "AIGoogle Bard FB," and "AIGoogleBard" remain unidentified. Google, following cybersecurity norms, has commenced legal action against these individuals and aims to update the complaint with their identities once uncovered during the discovery phase.
The lawsuit targets the scammers for trademark infringement, as they illicitly used Google's logo to perpetuate their fraudulent scheme. Additionally, breach of contract forms another basis for legal action against them.
In a simultaneous move, Google filed a separate lawsuit accusing fraudsters of creating numerous Google accounts to file thousands of false copyright infringement claims against competitors. Allegedly, two individuals orchestrated this scheme, operating at least 65 Google accounts and filing fraudulent notices against over 117,000 websites.
These legal actions align with Google's commitment to set essential legal precedents in burgeoning fields of innovation, according to DeLaine Prado. "Establishing clear regulations against fraud, scams, and harassment is imperative, regardless of the novelty of the environment," she affirmed in the blog post.
