Skip to main content

The context you need, when you need it

When news breaks, you need to understand what actually matters — and what to do about it. At Vox, our mission to help you make sense of the world has never been more vital. But we can’t do it on our own.

We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. Will you support our work and become a Vox Member today?

Join now

Google CFO Ruth Porat says suing Uber was the only right path

“We never sue,” Porat said. “When we do sue it’s in our view so compelling [that] we don’t have an option but to sue.”

Ruth Porat, Google, Code 2017
Ruth Porat, Google, Code 2017
Asa Mathat

It’s a rarity for Alphabet to decide to take its issues with other companies to court, according to its CFO Ruth Porat. But when it came to suing Uber over allegations that Anthony Levandowski, now both a former Alphabet and Uber employee, stole proprietary autonomous tech information before leaving Alphabet, the company had no choice.

“We never sue,” Porat said at the Code Conference at the Terranea Resort in California. “[But] when we do sue it’s in our view so compelling that we don’t have an option but to sue.”

In spite of Uber firing Levandowski, Porat — who didn’t go into too many more details— says the company will pursue the case, which is slowly making its way through the courts.

“It’s a legal case, so I’ll leave it at that,” she continued. “We’re going to press on. In our view there was only one right path and, as you said, we don’t do this often.”

The company recently sought an injunction against Uber, asking a judge to stop the ride-hail company in which Alphabet has an investment from using its trade secrets.

When asked how she hopes the case will turn out she said, “The right way.”

Watch the full interview at Recode’s Code Conference below.

Related


This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

More in Technology

Technology
The case for AI realismThe case for AI realism
Technology

AI isn’t going to be the end of the world — no matter what this documentary sometimes argues.

By Shayna Korol
Politics
OpenAI’s oddly socialist, wildly hypocritical new economic agendaOpenAI’s oddly socialist, wildly hypocritical new economic agenda
Politics

The AI company released a set of highly progressive policy ideas. There’s just one small problem.

By Eric Levitz
Future Perfect
Human bodies aren’t ready to travel to Mars. Space medicine can help.Human bodies aren’t ready to travel to Mars. Space medicine can help.
Future Perfect

Protecting astronauts in space — and maybe even Mars — will help transform health on Earth.

By Shayna Korol
Podcasts
The importance of space toilets, explainedThe importance of space toilets, explained
Podcast
Podcasts

Houston, we have a plumbing problem.

By Peter Balonon-Rosen and Sean Rameswaram
Technology
What happened when they installed ChatGPT on a nuclear supercomputerWhat happened when they installed ChatGPT on a nuclear supercomputer
Technology

How they’re using AI at the lab that created the atom bomb.

By Joshua Keating
Future Perfect
Humanity’s return to the moon is a deeply religious missionHumanity’s return to the moon is a deeply religious mission
Future Perfect

Space barons like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk don’t seem religious. But their quest to colonize outer space is.

By Sigal Samuel