Today’s News Roundup—August 7, 2024

Designs Committee Submits Comments to USPTO on Impact of Proliferation of AI

INTA submitted comments in response to the Request for Comments on the Impact of the Proliferation of AI from the United Sates Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Focusing on the impact of AI on prior art and patentability determinations of industrial designs, INTA noted that allowing AI-generated designs to preclude patent protection of human-created designs could impede their commercialization. The Association encouraged the USPTO to provide guidance on whether Title 35 of U.S. Code Section 102(a) of the patent statute limits prior art to human-conceived publications, keeping in mind the Office’s recently issued inventorship guidance on AI-assisted inventions and the legislative history and the goals of the Patent Acts. INTA also encouraged the USPTO to evaluate the challenges related to requiring a party to inform the USPTO that a printed publication is AI-generated—for example, some registered designs do not specify the names of any (human) designers because that information is not required for registration in jurisdictions like the EU and UK—before imposing such a requirement.

~ Ivy Estoesta, Sterne Kessler, Washington D.C., USA
Designs Committee

INTA CEO’s Remarks Highlighted in China’s People’s Court Daily

On July 19, the People’s Court Daily, the official publication of the Supreme People’s Court of China, referenced INTA CEO Etienne Sanz de Acedo’s recent remark that China’s accession to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents and its introduction of the Guidelines for Handling Supporting Documents Certifying the Subject Qualification in Foreign-Related Cases tremendously simplified the participation of legal proceedings for foreign entities, with expenses related to legalization paperwork seeing a 40 percent reduction in costs and turnaround time—cut from three months to two weeks—and resulting in a more transparent and smooth process overall.

This is the second time that INTA was mentioned by the Supreme People’s Court of China, following a press release marking World Intellectual Property Day, where INTA is applauded as one of the key platforms that is deepening international exchanges on IP and widening China’s jurisprudence worldwide, specifically highlighting the INTA Bulletin as the communication channel publicizing model trademark cases and the INTA Annual Meeting as the international forum to amplify Chinese Rule of Law.

~ Monica Su, Chief Representative Officer, INTA, China

The Unreal Campaign Launches New Website with an Updated Look

The Unreal Campaign recently relaunched its website with a fresh look and improved user experience. The updated website features information on trademarks and intellectual property, resources to help young consumers identify counterfeit goods, and access to a user-friendly way to submit reports to the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) about scams, frauds, and bad business practices.

Unrealcampaign.com also gives users a direct look into the Campaign’s Instagram page—a dedicated space to reach students online through relatable content, funny memes, and trending news stories.

Notably, the updated website allows students and educators to submit requests for INTA members to bring the Unreal Campaign to their schools, youth-oriented events, and local youth organizations. Students and educators may contact the Unreal Campaign directly through the website link and request a presentation—either virtually or in person—no matter where they are in the world.

~ Grace Magid, Communications Associate, INTA, USA