AI Cannot Patent Inventions, UK Supreme Court Rules

The UK Supreme Court has upheld earlier decisions in rejecting a bid to allow an artificial intelligence (AI) to be named as an inventor in a patent application, as reported by BBC News.

The IPO has argued, and the courts have supported the view, that only "persons" can have patent rights, not AIs.

Technologist Dr. Stephen Thaler sought to have his AI, called Dabus, recognized as the inventor of a food container and a flashing light beacon.

However, in 2019, the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) rejected this, stating that only a person could be named as an inventor. This decision was subsequently supported by both the High Court and the Court of Appeal.

The IPO has argued, and the courts have supported the view, that only "persons" can have patent rights, not AIs.

Now, five Supreme Court judges have dismissed a bid to reverse those decisions, concluding that "an inventor must be a person," and that an AI cannot be named as an inventor to secure patent rights.

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