AI Bots Lack Equal Grounding With Humans For Inventor Status, Top UK Court Rules

In a landmark ruling, the UK Supreme Court has declared that artificial intelligence (AI) systems do not qualify for recognition as inventors for patents, a significant setback in the fast-growing field of AI.

What Happened: Imagination Engines Inc. founder Stephen Thaler requested patents with his AI machine DABUS named as the inventor, as reported by Bloomberg Law. The court unanimously rejected Thaler’s appeal, stating that patent laws necessitate the inventor to be on near-equal footing with humans.

This verdict by the UK Supreme Court mirrors previous judgments in the U.S. and the European Union, but it’s the first of its kind from a nation’s highest court. The ruling comes as the UK seeks to position itself as a leading force in AI technologies.

See Also: Trump Says Record-High Stock Market Just ‘Making Rich People Richer,’ Blasts Biden’s ‘Inflation Catastrophe

Thaler’s attempt to register patents for a beverage container and a flashing light credited to DABUS was rebuffed.

“Science has collided with common sense in a highly significant way,” he stated.

Legal professionals have proposed that this ruling may negatively impact the UK’s standing in supporting AI-based industries and potentially discourage the disclosure of AI-created inventions.

The court emphasized that the judgment does not address the wider issue of the patentability of technical advances made by autonomous AI-powered machines. However, it does state that patents can be applied if an individual uses an AI to conceive an invention and is recognized as the inventor.

According to the UK’s Intellectual Property Office, any modifications in patent laws to fortify the UK’s status as a global hub for AI would necessitate international-level discussions.

Why It Matters: This ruling aligns with the verdict of the U.S. Supreme Court in May, where Thaler had also sought patent recognition for inventions created by his AI, DABUS. The U.S. decision sparked debates around AI-created intellectual property ownership and the future of patent laws in the context of rapidly evolving technology. The UK ruling further emphasizes the global legal perspective that AI systems cannot be recognized as inventors, a decision that could have significant implications for AI-dependent industries worldwide.

Read Next: Tesla CEO Elon Musk Is ‘Unparalleled In Genius’ As An Innovator, But ‘Then You See His Tweet That’s Like A Seventh Grader’: Ro Khanna

Image Courtesy: Shutterstock