SFC Talk｜Marco Aleman: The innovation system is to benefit the society at large

南方财经全媒体记者 杨雨莱 杨清清 广州、北京报道

Marco Aleman, Assistant Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has shed light on the great benefits artificial intelligence brings, as well as the challenges. 

Aleman pointed out that according to the 2022 World Intellectual Property Report, in the period 2016-2020, the area of utilization related to technology like artificial intelligence, big data, and computing, grew by 172%. “There were more patent filings worldwide in recent 8 years.” He said. 

However, the new technological wave also brings challenges in the area of patents. Aleman then put forward a series of forums and research has been done to indicate the progress and upgrading in the patent area. “What we are doing is producing a new report that puts the focus on the specific issue of generative AI and we produce a patent application report about the different technologies and trends on generative AI,” he indicated.

SFC Talk: What challenges does the development of artificial intelligence pose to copyright issues?

Marco Aleman: In terms of artificial intelligence, data challenges are very particular of that field. But let me start saying that when we identify in the area of AI, is that technology is related to the utilization have been in recent years, the 8 years were more patent filings worldwide. If we take the 2022 World Intellectual Property report, it shows that in the period 2016-2020, the area of the utilization related to technology like artificial intelligence, big data, computing, grew by 172%. Is it an increase that goes beyond the increase that all the areas of technology show? And if we think of the example of all the reports, let's mention the Global Innovation Index report. In the Global Innovation Index report in the year 2003, we developed a team in that people that is called the relationship between innovation and productivity. I mean that is a specific analysis. We identify that in previews, in this revolution, there has been always a link between a groundbreaking technology and a wave of industrialization.

And what the report analyzed is the following. It says that in recent times, the so-called new technological wave, that are mainly recent technological wave, one is the digital wave, and the second is the deep side wave. Both are closely linked to new technologies as is the case of artificial intelligence. So what the report mentioned is there is a great deal of hope for this new way of technology to impact the economy in a way that it would produce an increase in productivity, and it was the case in the previous industrial revolution.

So indeed, for the economy, this has huge potential. But at the same time, we need to recognize that artificial intelligence imprints certain challenges to the system because the system was developed in a period before artificial intelligence took off, it is not that new. In 1981, the WIPO, the World Intellectual Property Organization already organized an important international symposium in the area of artificial intelligence. So this is not a new program.

But there are certain recent developments, particularly up to 1985, both in terms of scientific publications and in terms of patent filing that shows that the speed of the program has increased dramatically, not only in research, but on the applicability of those technologies in different areas of the economy. And then, with these concrete experiences, we identify a number of challenges, for example, in the area of patents. It has been identified how the traditional patent system has in mind as an inventor and after that person. But reality shows that a number of algorithms have been programmed and trained to be able to invent. And then the question arises about the inventorship issue.

That remains, I would say, a very academic conversation so far, but the reality is that in a number of cases, those in the technological developments, are able to produce technical solutions that are very close to the concept of invention, and then a number of questions remain open for the elaboration in that specific area. The same challenges are evident in any of copyright where we know that, for example, in the case of generative AI, we see that set them. Although generative AI is able to produce images that are very close to works in the concept of copyright, or poems, or lyrics, or novels, that can also be very close to the concept of works of copyright. And then the question about authorship is also a very valid one. So there are a number of issues there. The policy perspective that requires policy consideration. 

In that regard, in WIPO, we have started what we call an international dialogue on frontier technologies that include artificial intelligence. More than 9,000 experts are participating in those meetings representing more than 172 countries that have been able to get together and collectively find out answers to the main questions as the examples I mentioned to you before. But we are analyzing this subject also for an older perspective. 

But let me give you two examples. In a recent paper published only a few weeks ago, the team of economies, a producer report that analyzed from the economic point of view, what are the different implications of artificial intelligence? One of the elements of the reform, in my view that is relevant to the economic point of view, established that taking into account the innovation today is probably more expensive than before.

They need for a policy instrument that incentive innovation is probably more in need now than ever before. So in that sense, the IP system is called to play a very key role in further promoting innovation in that area. And a report that is going to be published very soon, compliment a report produced in 2019 in WIPO, that shows the entire pathway of innovation in the area of artificial intelligence starting from scientific publication in the early 80s, and coming to the most recent trend in an increasing number of filings in patent applications. 

That seminal report of 2019 was at the time one of the very complete and comprehensive report about the interplaying between intellectual property and artificial intelligence, but something new emerged in recent times. That is the specific area of generative AI. So what we are doing is producing a new report that put the focus on the specific issue of generative AI and we produce a patent application report about the different technologies and trends on generative AI.

SFC Talk: How do you understand the 2024 ZGC Forum's theme: Innovating for a better world? 

Marco Aleman: So in my view, the theme of the forum is a call for the innovation system to play a role that benefits not only the innovative company, but to benefit the society at large, and the world at large. And in that regard, let me mention the following: It is closely linked and related to the theme we have chosen at the WIPO in Geneva for the Intellectual Property Day on April 26th. That is innovation and SDGs, so intellectual property and SDGs. And the topic that WIPO chooses is called the IP and SDGs: Building our common future with innovation and creativity, shows a very close link with the theme that the forum chose for this edition, also showing, as I mentioned before, these clear interests in between innovation and the impact that innovation can have on society at large.

Let me share with you the following: We have produced a report that was disclosed on Intellectual Property Day, April 26th, as I mentioned before. That is about innovation and SDGs. And that report shows how different innovations are supported and a link in a direct manner with the different SDGs. 13 out of the 17 SDGs show a very important trend in patent application. And let me share with you the following: This report shows that out of a total number of 50 million, a patent application that exceeds worldwide, 4.7 million of those applications are linked to one of the SDGs. It means 1 out of 3 of the patent filings worldwide reference to SDGs, which shows without any doubt, the important relevance and impact of innovation and the important relevance and impact of patents in each one of all those SDGs. And you can imagine that those SDGs attract more interests in the area of innovation. And because of the nature of the SDGs, innovations play a more key role. For example, if you take SDG 9 that references to industry, innovation and infrastructure, or if you take SDG 7 on affordable and clean energies or SDG 13 on climate action. In all those areas, the total number of patents  and the upward trend in patent applications, show a clear relationship in between innovation and those SDGs. 

And even more, if we analyze the report in detail, we will see that the report does something that is relatively new in this type of report. It uses so-called innovation matrix. And this innovation matrix elaborates a little bit on the total number of patents filed. And what the report does is the following: It also considered how recent is the patent application. And it mentioned how recently the patent had been filed. And using this maturity matrix, we can see that indeed SDG 9 with SDG 7 with SDG 13 as I mentioned before, on climate action and green technology or SDG 9 in terms of industry. It shows not only a high number of patent files, but an important number of growth in those patent applications. 

However, based on those number of files, we see all the radii. For example, we see SDG 1 in terms of poverty and SDG 4 in terms of quality of education that shows less number of total filings, but an important number of growth. What shows in an interesting area, our recent interest in those specific SDGs. So to conclude, let me say, is very relevant to analyze innovation not only with the lens of the innovative company, but also with the lens of how that innovation impacts society at large. So the forum did very well in choosing that theme.

策划：于晓娜    

监制：施诗

责任编辑：李依农 

记者：杨清清 杨雨莱

制作：李群

新媒体统筹：丁青云 曾婷芳 赖禧 曾昭发

海外运营监制: 黄燕淑

海外运营内容统筹: 黄子豪

海外运营编辑：庄欢 吴婉婕 龙李华 张伟韬

出品：南方财经全媒体集团