Multiple patent applications have purportedly been filed in several countries by a law school professor on behalf of an artificial intelligence named DABUS. While the applications are not yet open for public inspection, a website devoted to the project details the subject matter of the inventions as an improved food container and a signal beacon, both of which were “created” by the artificial intelligence. The project appears to be an attempt to challenge the definition of “inventor” under the patent laws of various countries, which are generally restricted to individuals. Ostensibly, the purpose of the filings is to create a “case or controversy” by identifying a machine as the “inventor” in order to draw an objection to the applications. Once an application is refused on that basis, the case may be ripe to seek judicial review of the statutory definition of “inventor.” Although, whether a machine has standing to appeal such an administrative determination is unclear, unless other interested parties are permitted to carry the suit.
Identifying a machine as an inventor raises a host of other issues pertaining to the ownership of an invention, inlcuding the right to sue for infringement or collect royalties. Such issues would likely require a legislative amendment, rather than a favorable judicial interpretation of the existing defintion of “inventor,” in order to avoid these kinds of ambiguities.