The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today released a report titled "Public Views on Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property Policy." The new report represents the agency's firm commitment to keeping pace with this rapidly changing and critical technology in order to accelerate American innovation. "On February 11, 2019, President Trump signed Executive Order 13859 announcing the American Artificial Intelligence Initiative, our nation's strategy on artificial intelligence," said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. "As artificial intelligence technologies continue to advance, the United States will not cede leadership in global innovation. The Department of Commerce recognizes the importance of harnessing American ingenuity to advance and protect our economic security." "The USPTO has long been committed to ensuring our nation maintains its leadership in all areas of innovation, especially in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence," said Andrei Iancu, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO.

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) today launched a public consultation process on artificial intelligence (AI) and intellectual property (IP) policy, inviting feedback on an issues paper designed to help define the most-pressing questions likely to face IP policy makers as AI increases in importance. Beginning December 13, 2019, WIPO published its issues paper with a call for comments from the widest-possible global audience. It is the latest step in WIPO's response to the ongoing interaction of AI with the IP system, including the use of AI applications in IP administration. "Artificial intelligence is set to radically alter the way in which we work and live, with great potential to help us solve common global challenges, but it is also prompting policy questions and challenges," said WIPO Director General Francis Gurry. Machine learning relies on information in the form of electronic data, which is also at the heart of intellectual property and innovation in a global digital economy.