UK Supreme Court Rules AI Cannot Be Named as Inventor on Patent Applications

The landmark decision aligns with similar rulings in the US and EU, highlighting the need for policy updates to keep pace with technological advancements.

The UK Supreme Court has ruled that artificial intelligence (AI) systems cannot be named as inventors on patent applications, upholding earlier decisions by the Intellectual Property Office, the High Court and the Court of Appeal.
The case was brought by US technologist Dr. Stephen Thaler who sought to have his AI, DABUS, recognized as the inventor of a food container and a flashing light beacon.
The court concluded that 'an inventor must be a person' under current law, and that an AI system cannot secure patent rights.
The ruling aligns with similar decisions in the US and the European Union, and is the first of its kind from a country's highest tribunal.
Legal experts suggest the case highlights how current laws have not kept pace with technological advancements, and call for policies to be updated.