Baidu sues Apple, “relevant” app developers over fake Ernie bot apps

New Delhi — Baidu has sued “relevant” app developers and Apple Inc. after fake copies of its recently launched AI-powered Ernie bot app were available on Apple’s app store, a CGTN report said.

The Chinese search engine giant’s Ernie bot which was launched last month is said to be China’s closest equivalent to US-developed chatbot ChatGPT.

Baidu has filed lawsuits in Beijing Haidian People’s Court against the developers behind the counterfeit applications of its Ernie bot and Apple.

Baidu’s statement posted on its official “Baidu AI” WeChat account late on Friday read “At present, Ernie does not have any official app,”

“Until our company’s official announcement, any Ernie app you see from App Store or other stores are fake,” it said.

Currently, access to the Ernie bot is restricted to users who apply for and are granted access codes. In its statement, Baidu also warned against the sale of access codes.