Google sued by Autodesk over claims that it infringed Autodesk’s “Flow” trademark to promote competing AI-powered software used in movie, television, and video game production.

In a complaint filed Friday in San Francisco federal court, Autodesk said it has used the Autodesk’s Flow name since September 2022 across visual effects, production management, and related tools. The company said it was surprised when Google launched its own Flow software in May 2025, targeting the same customer base.

Trademark Filing at the Center of the Case

According to the lawsuit, Autodesk claims Google previously assured the company it would not commercialize Flow as a standalone brand. Despite that assurance, Autodesk alleges Google applied to trademark the Flow name in the Kingdom of Tonga in May 2025, a jurisdiction where trademark filings are not easily accessible to the public.

The complaint states that Google later relied on the Tonga filing to pursue similar trademark protection in the United States. Autodesk further alleged that Google promoted its Autodesk’s Flow software at major industry events, including the Sundance Film Festival.

Autodesk Alleges Market Harm

“Google’s false representation that it would always use a combination of its house mark and Flow was intended to buy time,” the complaint said, arguing that Google’s size and reach could overwhelm Autodesk’s Flow products in the market.

The lawsuit claims that the alleged actions caused consumer confusion and irreparable harm. Autodesk is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.

Companies Decline to Escalate Publicly

Google had no immediate comment on the lawsuit as of Monday. Autodesk said in a statement that it remains committed to protecting its innovations and ensuring fair competition in the global marketplace.

The dispute comes as Autodesk continues to shift its business toward cloud and artificial intelligence technologies. Last month, the company announced plans to cut about 1,000 jobs, or 7% of its workforce, as part of that transition.