In A First, An Invention By AI Granted A Patent

DABUS is an AI system developed by Missouri physicist Stephen Thaler.
DABUS

The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission of South Africa granted patent to a food container based on fractal geometry invented by ‘Device for Autonomous Bootstrapping of Unified Sentience’ (DABUS). DABUS is an AI system developed by Missouri physicist Stephen Thaler.

The patent application was filed on September 17, 2019, under the Patent Cooperation Treaty. The application identified DABUS as the inventor of the food container and stated ‘the invention was autonomously generated by an artificial intelligence.’

Thaler is a pioneer in the field of AI and programming. His DABUS system is classified as a creativity machine, capable of independent and complex functioning. Patent applications were filed in the US, Europe, Australia, and South Africa. All except South Africa turned it down. The European Patent Office issued a preliminary communication stating the inventor on a patent application must have legal capacity. 

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Join our editors every weekday evening as they steer you through the most significant news of the day, introduce you to fresh perspectives, and provide unexpected moments of joy
Your newsletter subscriptions are subject to AIM Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) asserted the ‘Application Data Sheet’ with the patent application did not identify the inventor by its legal name. Thaler has now appealed to the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia seeking the reversal of the USPTO’s decision.




The South African Patent Office’s decision to grant the patent has come as a surprise to the global community. The reasons for this decision are unknown. However, the whole incident has riled up the intellectual property experts. The critics lampooned the decision saying AI lacks a legal standing necessary to qualify as an inventor. Many chalked up the granting of patent to an oversight on the part of the commission, and a few see it as an indictment of South Africa’s patent procedures.

Shraddha Goled
I am a technology journalist with AIM. I write stories focused on the AI landscape in India and around the world with a special interest in analysing its long term impact on individuals and societies. Reach out to me at shraddha.goled@analyticsindiamag.com.

Download our Mobile App

MachineHack

AI Hackathons, Coding & Learning

Host Hackathons & Recruit Great Data Talent!

AIM Research

Pioneering advanced AI market research

Request Customised Insights & Surveys for the AI Industry

The Gold Standard for Recognizing Excellence in Data Science and Tech Workplaces

With Best Firm Certification, you can effortlessly delve into the minds of your employees, unveil invaluable perspectives, and gain distinguished acclaim for fostering an exceptional company culture.

AIM Leaders Council

World’s Biggest Community Exclusively For Senior Executives In Data Science And Analytics.

3 Ways to Join our Community

Telegram group

Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.

Discord Server

Stay Connected with a larger ecosystem of data science and ML Professionals

Subscribe to our Daily newsletter

Get our daily awesome stories & videos in your inbox
MOST POPULAR

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

The Belamy, our weekly Newsletter is a rage. Just enter your email below.