Belagavi — A locally founded technology company has raised alarm over brand-name confusion with a California-based artificial intelligence firm, warning state and central authorities that continuing formal engagements with the U.S. entity could expose sensitive communications to misrouting and pose data-security risks.
Local company requests pause in government dealings
Anthropic Software Pvt. Ltd., founded in 2017 and headquartered in Belagavi, has advised the Karnataka and Union governments to hold off on formal ties with the U.S. company Anthropic PBC until a pending legal dispute over the use of the name “Anthropic” is resolved, according to reporting by The Hindu.
The Belagavi firm operates through the domain anthropic.in, while the U.S. firm uses anthropic.com. Mohammad Ayyaz Mulla, founder and managing director of the Belagavi company, said the similarity in names and domains has led to increasing confusion among customers and organisations in India and overseas, particularly after the U.S. company announced its entry into India.
Misrouted emails and sensitive communications
Mulla told The Hindu that his company received more than 700 emails over the past four months that were apparently intended for the U.S. company, and that messages meant for the Belagavi firm had gone the other way as well. He emphasised the concern was not merely missed business enquiries but the nature of some of the misdirected communications.
“Some of the emails have come from government departments, including the police, judiciary and other financially and operationally sensitive departments,” he cautioned.
While Mulla said his team had not examined the contents of such emails, they regarded the misdirection itself as a potential security risk. To manage the problem, Anthropic Software has developed an automated system intended to detect and reroute misdirected messages with minimal human intervention, notify designated leadership and data-protection officials, and keep logs while following data-minimisation principles.
- Company established in Belagavi in 2017.
- More than 700 misdirected emails reported in four months.
- Domains involved: anthropic.in (Belagavi firm) and anthropic.com (U.S. firm).
Implications for government and local stakeholders
The dispute has taken on fresh relevance as the Karnataka government considers engagements involving the U.S. company. The Belagavi firm urged authorities to await resolution of the legal matter to avoid operational or confidentiality lapses. The existence of misdirected emails from sensitive state agencies underscores the practical risks governments face when overlapping trade names and similar domains exist across jurisdictions.
Local technology firms and administrative offices, particularly those handling law enforcement, judiciary or financial information, may now have to review internal procedures for addressing misdirected correspondence and verifying recipient identities. Anthropic Software said it has posted clarifications on its website emphasising that the two entities are separate.
| Item | Belagavi company | U.S. company |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Anthropic Software Pvt. Ltd. | Anthropic PBC |
| Domain | anthropic.in | anthropic.com |
| Founded / noted | 2017 (Belagavi) | — (U.S. firm entering India) |
The situation highlights wider questions about cross-border corporate name overlaps in the fast-moving AI sector and the need for clear protocols to prevent inadvertent disclosure of sensitive data. For now, the Belagavi firm has asked for official patience until the legal process clarifies rights to the brand.
