Dr Daniela Simone joins WIPO Global Conversation on Intellectual Property and Artificial Intelligence

On 4 November 2020, Dr Daniela Simone joined a panel of experts presenting at World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) Third Conversation on Intellectual Property (IP) and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

In opening the Conversation, Director-General Daren Tang explained WIPO’s aim to help bridge the existing information gap between AI players and regulators and to build broad awareness of the issues in this fast moving and complex field. The Conversation was held virtually, allowing for the attendance of over 1500 participants from 133 countries including WIPO Member States, academics, private entities, and experts in the field.

The Third Conversation focused on several questions arising from WIPO’s Revised Issues Paper on IP Policy and AI (definitions relating to AI, the impact of AI on the trade mark area, capacity building and the use of AI in IP administration). Dr Daniela Simone contributed to the first session (Issue 1: Definitions), alongside other interventions from national IP offices, associations representing IP professionals or IP rights-holders and academics.

Dr Simone emphasised the importance of clear, agreed definitions in facilitating international dialogue. She identified some weaknesses in the way in which the distinction between ‘AI-generated’ and ‘AI-assisted’ outputs has been drawn. Arguing that the way in which the Conversation on AI and IP is framed will necessarily impact its content, she warned that the current definition of an ‘AI-assisted’ output risks concealing important disagreements as to what counts (and what ought to count) as material human input.

Dr Simone concluded by stressing the need to devote more attention to considering the application of existing IP principles on the allocation of rights in AI-Assisted outputsto ensure that the people behind the machines are kept at the forefront of discussions. This is a theme which she had previously addressed in her contribution to the WIPO’s Second Conversation on AI and IP.

To view the WIPO Conference Session (with Dr Simone’s contribution at 01:17:23) click here. Dr Simone’s written submissions to the Third Session are also available here.

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