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TechTech Debate

Alphabet Sues Uber Over Alleged Stolen Intellectual Property

Fortune Editors
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Fortune Editors
Fortune Editors
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Fortune Editors
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Fortune Editors
Fortune Editors
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February 28, 2017, 10:51 AM ET

Our latest episode of Tech Debate features Fortune digital editor Andrew Nusca and writer Robert Hackett discussing the lawsuit between Uber and Alphabet (GOOGL). The companies are disputing whether Uber stole intellectual property from Waymo, Alphabet’s self-driving car unit. Alphabet claims that its former employee Anthony Levandowski downloaded documents from a server and used the information at Uber. Levandowski left Waymo to start Otto, a self-driving truck company that was later acquired by Uber.

Hackett believes there is something to Alphabet’s claim, while Nusca disagrees, saying “the tech industry is littered with these types of battles.” Nusca also says that when employees leave a company, they take their brains with them, so he doesn’t see how Alphabet can sue over intellectual property in this case.

Listen to their full discussion in the video above.

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