AI can help the invention process, though.

US patent office confirms AI can’t hold patents::The US Patent and Trademark Office maintains that only natural humans can get patents, but people do have to disclose if they used AI for the invention.

  • mnemonicmonkeysEnglish
    3·
    11 months ago

    Unfortunately the US moved from a first-to-invent system to a first-to-patent a few years back. Terrible idea.

    And for the record, the US was one of the last western countries to switch

    • Buttons@programming.devEnglish
      2·
      11 months ago

      Prior art is still a thing though, and invalidates a patent. I think first to file just means you can’t keep an idea secret and then “surprise!, we already invented that be we’ve been keeping it a secret, but trust us, we were first”. If you publish an idea, it establishes prior art and, in theory, prevents future patents of that idea.

      • mnemonicmonkeysEnglish
        1·
        11 months ago

        Unfortunately I’ve seen plenty of patents misused exactly as you described. Patent trolls are a thing