Minitap Accuses Google of Using Its Open-Source Code in AI Automation Project Without Attribution

Minitap co-founder and CEO Nikolai Dekhanchuk has publicly accused Google of using code, prompts, and test cases from Minitap's open-source mobile-use project in the Artemis mobile automation codebase without proper attribution, with some code matching verbatim.

mobile-use is an open-source project that allows AI to control real Android devices via natural language. According to Minitap, Google adopted its implementations for Android device connection, Hopper agent commands, and WhatsApp message tasks in Artemis. Files listing Minitap authors in the Artemis package were reportedly replaced via a forced push in August. After the dispute surfaced, Google added a source note stating that the code includes source code developed by Minitap.

The report noted that open source does not mean unrestricted use, and users must comply with license terms. The code is under Apache 2.0, which requires derivative projects to retain copyright notices and indicate modifications. Meanwhile, Minitap has repeatedly requested updates to outdated benchmark results on AndroidWorld, but has not received a response; Google's Artemis ranks second and its score was refreshed in August. AndroidWorld itself is maintained by Google. Minitap said it has since moved to closed-source code for its current products, and claimed Google trails by seven months in technical progress.