The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has released new guidance stating that while artificial intelligence (AI) systems cannot be listed as inventors in patent applications, humans can use AI tools during the invention process and must disclose their use. The USPTO requires that people seeking patents disclose if they used AI in the invention process, just as they ask all applicants to list all material information necessary to make a decision. A person using AI must have made a significant contribution to the invention’s conception to register for a patent. The office also clarifies that owning or overseeing an AI that creates things does not mean you can file a patent for them. In 2020, the USPTO ruled that only “natural humans” can apply for patents.
Source: The Verge
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