Annual Development Summits

The 17th annual meeting of the IP5 was held in Seoul, South Korea, hosted by the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO). The IP5, comprising the world's five largest intellectual property offices, reaffirmed their commitment to an inclusive and accessible IP system that supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). The meeting focused on sharing key initiatives and policies aimed at supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), micro-entities, and start-ups in leveraging intellectual property to foster growth and innovation.

One of the key topics discussed at the meeting was the examination practices of the IP5 Offices on AI-related inventions. The IP5 Heads of Office exchanged views on inventorship of AI-related inventions, recognizing the growing importance of artificial intelligence in the innovation landscape. This discussion highlighted the need for harmonized approaches to address the unique challenges posed by AI technologies in the context of intellectual property rights.

Additionally, the IP5 Heads of Office meeting was preceded by a meeting with industry representatives, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between IP offices and industry stakeholders. This interaction aimed to ensure that IP policies and practices remain relevant and effective in promoting innovation and protecting intellectual property rights in a rapidly evolving global market. The outcomes of these discussions are expected to be detailed in a report to be made available on the IP5 website.

Image Credit: Five IP Offices