The UK IPO & AIPPI UAE Group Roundtable (AI and Intellectual Property Discussions in the UAE) Held in February 2025

An event was held in Dubai on February 3rd, 2025 to discuss AI and Intellectual Property. The UK Intellectual Property Office (“IPO”) delegates led by its CEO Mr Adam Williams attended this roundtable and worked closely with the AIPPI UAE Group leaders to organize an inspiring roundtable for the attendees. We share this update to brief on some of the discussions and interventions provided by the speakers during this event.

• UAE Hosts Roundtable on AI Regulation and Intellectual Property

The roundtable was supported by many partners to AIPPI UAE Group, such as Dubai Business Group for Intellectual Property, Dubai Chambers, the UAE Ministry of Economy, Brand Protection Group and EIPA. The roundtable was held to bring together global stakeholders and industry experts to discuss the evolving relationship between AI technologies and intellectual property (IP) rights.

• Panels Discussions: Addressing AI and IP Issues

In addition to the welcoming notes by the UK IPO CEO and the Assistant Undersecretary at the UAE Ministry of Economy, two panel discussions were held during the event. The speakers, who are from different backgrounds, managed to address key issues and topics in the intersection of AI and IP, such as: combating online IP infringement by bad actors operating across borders, patent and AI, legislative landscape for AI and IP and some surrounding challenges among many other topics and areas.

There was a general consensus among participants regarding the importance of international cooperation in addressing this challenge.

• Growth in Participation and Global Collaboration

A key theme of the forum was the increasing importance of collaboration across borders to address AI-related IP challenges. The event underscored how professionals from around the world are coming together to address these pressing issues, signalling a growing recognition of the need for collective action in the IP space.

• Challenges of Regulating AI: A Global Perspective

One of the key points of discussion focused on the difficulty of adapting intellectual property laws, to modern AI technologies. The rapid pace of technological change presents challenges, particularly in sectors such as the creative industries, where there are concerns about the balance between protecting creators’ rights and fostering innovation in AI development.

The forum emphasized the lack of a universal framework for AI regulation, as each country’s economic landscape differs. Discussions highlighted that different countries may have distinct needs, which must be taken into account when formulating AI regulations.

• Key Considerations for AI and IP Strategy

According to the speakers, some of the key topics being considered at the moment on AI and IP are:

• Opt-out models for the use of data or content in AI training.
• Agreed licensing for the use of data or content in AI systems.
• Transparency measures, including labeling AI-generated images and content.
• Addressing issues such as digital replicas and generative AI technologies.
• The role of AI in combating online IP infringement, including identifying and taking action against bad actors.
• The use of AI tools in regulatory enforcement.
• Educating businesses, especially SMEs, on how to leverage AI responsibly in the context of IP.

• Legal Frameworks for AI

The discussion highlighted the current limitations in defining AI within legal frameworks. Many jurisdictions still rely on outdated definitions, which may not fully capture the capabilities and complexities of modern AI systems. The importance of developing more specific legal definitions for AI was emphasized, along with the need to address issues such as cross-border data protection. A distinction between non-AI software and AI systems was discussed and some explanations were given. Whilst both provide outputs that can influence physical or virtual environments, it was confirmed that the i) the autonomy and ability to have some degree of independence of actions from human intervention, and ii) ability to infer to enable learning, reasoning and/or modelling are two core elements that help to distinguish between non-AI and AI software.

• Generative AI and patent law

It was also discussed how AI is affecting patent law, particularly in industries like biotechnology, where AI tools are increasingly being used to assist in the development of new patents. The need for human oversight in AI applications was also highlighted, as AI systems are often not perfect and require human judgment to ensure fairness and accuracy.

• Collaboration for AI Regulation

The forum concluded with a call for closer collaboration among governments, legal experts, IP professionals, and international organizations like WIPO. The need for joint efforts to create effective regulatory frameworks for AI was emphasized, as it is crucial to balance the protection of intellectual property with the need to foster innovation.

With the appointment of new UK Intellectual property attaché for the Middle East to be based in the UAE, we anticipate more cooperations and events to be held between the UK IPO and AIPPI UAE Group in the coming years. We look forward to reporting to you on more cooperation and events that will be conducted in the UAE.