#patents

Japan's Supreme Court has ruled that artificial intelligence cannot be listed as an inventor on patent applications, requiring that only a human can be named as the inventor. This decision sets a legal precedent in a major jurisdiction, clarifying that AI-generated inventions must have a human inventor, which affects patent strategies for companies using AI in research and development. The ruling aligns with similar positions in the U.S. and Europe, where patent offices have also held that AI systems cannot be inventors. It does not prohibit using AI in the invention process but requires human contribution and control.