IPO chief suggests shorter US IP protection for inventions with limited human input
By Steve Scherer ( October 1, 2026, 18:39 GMT | Comment) -- Artificial intelligence tops the Intellectual Property Owners Association’s agenda, and the US may need a shorter-term right for inventions with limited human input, President John Cheek told MLex at the group’s annual meeting in Toronto. Cheek said he personally favors less rigid human-contribution requirements and suggested perhaps 10 years of protection instead of a patent’s 20-year term.The US may need a separate, shorter-term IP right for inventions created with limited human input, Intellectual Property Owners Association President John Cheek told MLex in an interview at the group’s annual meeting in Toronto this week.*...
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