We recently had the pleasure of collaborating at the “Artificial Intelligence and Patent Protection” conference, which was held a few days ago at the headquarters of the Association of Machine Tool Manufacturers – AFM Cluster in Donostia. Pablo Calvo, partner of ABG IP in the Engineering, Physics and ICT departments and Sandra Ortuzar, Patent Adviser in the Engineering, Physics and ICT departments, were the speakers of a session in which Iain McGeoch, Associate and head of our office in Euskadi also participated. Our colleagues were accompanied by Susana Egusquiaguirre, Patent Technician in the Biotechnology & Life Sciences department in our office in Euskadi.
This enlightening event has been organised in a context in which artificial intelligence (AI) is infiltrating all aspects of technology, including manufacturing processes, quality control, and controller design, to name a few examples. Furthermore, in the area of intellectual property (IP), these technical solutions are associated with software protection, an area that has always received special treatment in the patent system and the legal framework of which continues developing still to date.
Based on these foundations, the session began with an overview of the AI and its evolution in the industry, followed by a discussion of the exclusion from patentability of the software; then, it was discussed the possibilities for protecting computer-implemented inventions. Once the basis were laid, the participants proposed a scenario for the protection of AI inventions, as well as the impact of this technology on the intellectual property system.
AFM Cluster is an organisation of which ABG IP is a member since 2020. It is made up of six industrial associations that represent over 700 businesses. The role of AFM Cluster is to promote internationalisation, industrial and technological development, strategic positioning, and capacity building in affiliated businesses, a mission to which we hope to have contributed with the celebration of this event.
