AN EMPIRICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ON INDIAN PATENT AND COPYRIGHT LAW: REFORM PRIORITIES FOR GLOBAL HARMONIZATION

AI is fast changing how innovation and creative production are conceived and created, upending the traditional understanding of inventorship, authorship, and ownership as provided by intellectual property (IP) law. This study evaluates the necessity for legal reforms in Indian patent and copyright law in the wake of the advent of AI and to assess its impact on patent/copyright law from an empirical perspective. A structured questionnaire survey was carried out with legal professionals, scholars, patent agents, researchers in AI and industry practitioners to understand the perception on AI-generated inventions, ownership of such inventions, legal uncertainty, and policy preparedness. The findings show that there are many concerns related to ownership uncertainty, lack of legal provisions and growing cross-border disputes surrounding creations facilitated by AI. Comparative analysis shows that India's existing IP regime should be updated in order to be in line with the international standards. Taking into account the empirical findings, the study recommends legislative changes specific to AI, uniform guidelines on inventorship and authorship, mandatory disclosure of AI and more international harmonization. These recommendations seek to build a robust IP system in India and promote responsible innovation through the use of AI.