The UK government has just passed a new law preventing patents on inventions made by artificial intelligence algorithms, writes the Independent.
“Only people can have rights – not machines,” Supreme Court Justice Elisabeth Laing wrote in her ruling. “Patents are statutory rights and can only be granted to individuals.”
But this is only the first of several new legislative changes underway.
The news comes as The Intellectual Property Office announces that it plans to amend existing laws to make it easier for individuals and institutions to use artificial intelligence.
AI super power
Both new and upcoming legislative changes to artificial intelligence and machine learning are part of the UK’s goal of becoming a global AI superpower through National AI Strategyannounced last year.
At the same time, the country is trying to take advantage of the opportunity it has to make its own patent law, after leaving the EU.
“Now that the UK has the opportunity to decide on its own patent laws for the first time in decades, we will ensure that the UK continues to have the best intellectual property framework in the world,” said Science and Innovation Minister George Freeman.
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