New research published by the University of Surrey in Boston College Law Review is calling for inventions by computers to be legally granted patents. Artificial intelligence is playing an ever larger role in innovation but current patent law does not recognize computers as inventors.
Without a change in the law, the findings warn that there will be less innovation, caused by uncertainty, which would prevent industry from capitalizing on the huge potential of creative computers. We are also likely to see disputes over inventorship, with individuals taking credit for inventions that are not genuinely theirs.
Poll Question:
Ryan Abbott, a professor of law and health sciences, proposes that computers be allowed to be named as inventors on patents as this would incentivize the creation of intellectual property by encouraging the development of creative computers. Do you agree that computers themselves should be named as inventors on patents?
Yes
24
No
108
Not sure
20
