<p><strong>Can you use them commercially?</strong></p>

<p>Yes. </p>

<p><strong>Is Google able to sue you any time they want?</strong></p>

<p>Yes. </p>

<p><strong>Will they do that...</strong></p>

<p>Probably not. </p>

<p>Google isn't a known patent bully, I would give them the benefit of the doubt in this kind of situation and say, unless you start really giving them real trouble, they wouldn't do anything. Some companies/people know an idea can really be used for good and patent it to protect its use not to inhibit its use. By patenting the idea and setting a precedent of not suing they are effectively allowing everyone to benefit. Maybe in the future Google cloud, Azure and Amazon web services will lose some money in a legal battle, but I doubt you personally will be hit with a lawsuit.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-18T08:27:24.113Z
As a small note: in the unlikely case that you do develop software based on this patent that _directly competes_ with Google, and even in such a way that it threatens their revenue, they will find any and all possible ways to shut you down - including patent infringement (as is their right). I agree that you should just use it, but keep it in the back of your head that they still _can_ sue if they want.
Bram Vanroy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-17T04:00:20.790Z
2019-11-18T12:00:50.870Z
2019-11-18T12:00:50.870Z
Michael Hearn
<p>I just find that Google patents some of the widely used machine learning algorithms. For example:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://patents.google.com/patent/US9406017B2/en" rel="nofollow noreferrer">System and method for addressing overfitting in a neural network</a> (Dropout?)</li>
<li><a href="https://patents.google.com/patent/US9715642B2/en" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Processing images using deep neural networks</a></li>
<li><a href="https://patents.google.com/patent/US20150100530" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Methods and apparatus for reinforcement learning</a> (Q-Learning?)</li>
</ul>
<p>Does that mean I can't use those algorithms commercially?</p>

<neural-networks><q-learning><dropout><google><legal>
Can Google's patented ML algorithms be used commercially?
malioboro
# Can Google's patented ML algorithms be used commercially?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-11-17)

I just find that Google patents some of the widely used machine learning algorithms. For example:

* [System and method for addressing overfitting in a neural network](https://patents.google.com/patent/US9406017B2/en) (Dropout?)
* [Processing images using deep neural networks](https://patents.google.com/patent/US9715642B2/en)
* [Methods and apparatus for reinforcement learning](https://patents.google.com/patent/US20150100530) (Q-Learning?)

Does that mean I can't use those algorithms commercially?

**Tags:** neural-networks, q-learning, dropout, google, legal


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-11-17. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

**Can you use them commercially?**

Yes.

**Is Google able to sue you any time they want?**

Yes.

**Will they do that...**

Probably not.

Google isn't a known patent bully, I would give them the benefit of the doubt in this kind of situation and say, unless you start really giving them real trouble, they wouldn't do anything. Some companies/people know an idea can really be used for good and patent it to protect its use not to inhibit its use. By patenting the idea and setting a precedent of not suing they are effectively allowing everyone to benefit. Maybe in the future Google cloud, Azure and Amazon web services will lose some money in a legal battle, but I doubt you personally will be hit with a lawsuit.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: As a small note: in the unlikely case that you do develop software based on this patent that _directly competes_ with Google, and even in such a way that it threatens their revenue, they will find any and all possible ways to shut you down - including patent infringement (as is their right). I agree that you should just use it, but keep it in the back of your head that they still _can_ sue if they want.  

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