Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property: IFLA Response to the Draft WIPO Issues Paper [2020]

The rise of artificial intelligence raises questions in many different policy areas, including for intellectual property. IFLA has contributed to efforts by WIPO to develop a survey to build understanding. As part of its work to build understanding of the issues Artificial Intelligence (AI) poses for Intellectual Property (IP), the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) is planning a survey of views. In preparation for this, it has shared an issues paper with a draft set of questions. In order to ensure that this covers all relevant issues, WIPO has sought views from stakeholders around the world. IFLA has responded, welcoming WIPO’s engagement in this area, and making suggestions to ensure that the final survey adequately covers points that matter for libraries. If accepted, these points will help ensure that WIPO is gathering the right information to support any future conclusions. IFLA’s suggestions, in broad terms, cover the potential costs of anything other than broad exceptions for text and data mining, the risks associated with creating new property rights, and the need to preserve and give access to algorithms that take decisions about our lives.