Autodesk is suing Google over the name of its Flow AI videomaker

Autodesk, a company known for its suite of 3D design software, is suing Google over claims that it infringed on its “Flow” trademark, as reported earlier by Reuters. The lawsuit, filed in a California court last week, alleges that the name of Google’s AI video generator, Flow, will likely confuse customers with Autodesk’s own AI-enabled filmmaking tools under the “Flow” brand.

Autodesk first introduced Flow in 2022 as a cloud-based platform for filmmakers and other creators. It has since rolled out products under the Flow umbrella, including Flow Studio, which uses AI to transform live-action footage into 3D scenes.

After Google launched its AI-powered Flow app in May 2025, Autodesk claims it asked the tech giant to stop using the “Flow” name. Google allegedly responded by saying it would market the product as “Google Flow — rather than just ”Flow.”

However, Autodesk claims Google “misrepresented” its intentions about its plans to use the “Flow” brand. The company alleges Google filed a trademark in the Kingdom of Tongo, “where applications are not generally available to the public,” before applying to register the standalone “Flow” name in the US, citing its Tonga application.

Autodesk claims confusion between its Flow products and Google’s Flow app has already occurred, alleging that people on social media, magazines, and Google Flow users “have mistakenly referred to Google’s product as ‘Flow Studio.’”

Autodesk is asking the court to block Google from using the Flow trademark, as well as for unspecified damages related to the alleged infringement. Google didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.