Event Highlights

Participants gathered for a compelling roundtable discussion, Roundtable 5, titled “AI and the Patentability of Computer-Implemented Inventions: How Technical Should ‘Technical Character’ Be?” This session brought together enthusiastic professionals from various jurisdictions to explore complex issues surrounding the patentability of AI-generated programs and the requisite technical characteristics for registering such inventions.

The discussion raised several intriguing questions, primarily concerning the patentability of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated programs and the technical character required for AI inventions in the context of patent registration. The conversation highlighted the challenges and difficulties arising from the rapid emergence of AI and the existing legislative gaps in its regulation. Additionally, some participants questioned the registrability of AI as an invention, arguing that AI, essentially an algorithm or akin to a mathematical equation, does not clearly meet the patentability criteria, which require an invention to provide a technical solution to a practical problem.

The roundtable concluded with a consensus recognizing the swift pace of technological innovation and the legislative shortcomings that complicate the patent registration and protection of AI. This discussion underscored the pressing need for updated legal frameworks to keep pace with technological progress.