The UK’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) will not patent artificial intelligence (AI)-based inventions. The mentioned legal privilege gives an invention’s creator ownership. Many experts doubt that AI can come up with new ideas on its own. That is why people can file the said legal claim on AI-assisted innovations, the government avowed, despite “misperceptions.” The Court of Appeal ruled against Stephen Thaler, who claimed his Dabus AI system pioneered food containers and flashing lights. Two judges sided with the IPO, which told him to list a real originator. Lady Justice Laing pronounced that only people have rights, not machines. Patents are legal prerogatives that can only be granted to individuals.

The IPO said that it will “need to understand how our IP system should protect AI-devised inventions in the future.” The organization also disclosed that it will advance international discourse to keep the UK ahead. In a case brought by Mr. Thaler in 2021, an Australian court decided that AI structures could be patent innovators. South Africa’s ruling was equivalent. On appeal, Australia’s adjudication was reversed. Many self-thinking computer technologies can learn from internet data. The IPO declared undisputable intentions to change copyright law so anyone with legal access can work on it. This is better than non-commercial researchers promoting AI and “data mining” for the public good. Rights holders can still charge for access to their projects, but not for extracting them.