>even using the word "intent"

Words like "intent", "sentiment", and "entities" were standard vernacular for natural language processing long before Amazon decided to jump into the space.

Like "chrome" in the browser space.

I think Google trying to forbid Firefox from using the word "bookmark" would be a closer analogy.

Trademark is not a problem unless you are selling the product, after all you can just do a global search and replace to change the name. And neither trademark nor copyright cover the use of ordinary English words in ordinary technical contexts. APIs are like recipes and telephone directories, the expression is protected but not the mere lists of ingredients.

Of course I have probably expressed this a little too strongly, I'm sure there are edge cases to worry about.

Even after Oracle v. Google?

Similar APIs use the same terminology, concepts and words:

- Wit.ai: https://wit.ai/docs/recipes#categorize-the-user-intent

- API.ai: https://docs.api.ai/docs/key-concepts

> stepping on the toes of Amazon's copyright/trademark?

I would not be surprised if Microsoft would have a problem with the company name. They market themselves as an open source project, but I assume they are in it to sell hardware and make a profit (or exit).

The company name sounds like a contraction of Microsoft to me and initially I misread the title as being another Microsoft open source project.

I'm actually expecting some initiative from Microsoft in exactly this area, with open hardware instead of open software.

It's named after Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock Holmes' brother.

Which is the basis for the name of the AI in "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" by Heinlein.