WTO-WIPO Conference Explores AI’s Impact on Intellectual Property and Global Innovation Rules

· Around 120 academics, researchers, and policymakers gathered in Geneva on 18–19 June for the 5th IP Researchers Europe (IPRE) Conference.

· The conference was organized by the University of Geneva in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization and the World Trade Organization.

· The central theme was how international intellectual property (IP) laws can adapt to rapid technological advances, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI) and digitalization.

Key Areas of Discussion

Participants presented research and debated emerging issues related to:

· Artificial intelligence and intellectual property rights.

· Technology transfer.

· Biotechnology.

· Geographical indications (GIs).

· Copyright in the digital environment.

· Data protection and governance.

· Public health and access to innovation.

· Trade secret protection.

WIPO’s Perspective

· Hasan Kleib opened the conference.

· He emphasized that intellectual property serves as a bridge between ideas and societal benefits.

· He highlighted the importance of research in:

o Identifying emerging IP challenges.

o Evaluating how IP systems function.

o Supporting evidence-based policymaking.

· WIPO reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that innovation and creativity contribute to economic growth and prosperity globally.

Discussions on AI and Emerging Technologies

Breakout sessions examined:

· The impact of AI on copyright protection.

· Trademarking cultural assets and technologies.

· Cross-border implementation of geographical indications.

· New challenges posed by digital innovation.

WTO’s Perspective on Intellectual Property

· The second day featured a keynote address by Johanna Hill.

· She stressed that modern economic growth increasingly depends on:

o Knowledge creation.

o Knowledge dissemination.

o Protection of innovation.

o Effective intellectual property systems.

· She described IP frameworks as fundamental to global trade in the digital economy.

Importance of the TRIPS Agreement

· DDG Hill highlighted the importance of the TRIPS Agreement.

· Since its adoption in 1994, TRIPS has:

o Provided stability and predictability in international IP protection.

o Facilitated technology transfer.

o Encouraged investment and innovation.

o Supported global research networks.

· However, she noted that AI and digital technologies are creating new challenges that may require fresh thinking about IP governance.

Key Questions Raised

DDG Hill urged researchers and policymakers to consider:

· How innovation and creativity can be encouraged in the AI era.

· How countries can pursue domestic development priorities while complying with international IP rules.

· How governments can balance innovation incentives with broader public interests.

Digital Trade and Development

· The WTO emphasized that digital trade can become a powerful driver of growth and development.

· However, these benefits depend on investments in:

o Digital infrastructure.

o Education and skills development.

o Technological capacity building.

· Without adequate domestic capabilities, countries may struggle to build innovative and creative economies.

WTO Support for Members

· The WTO is helping members through:

o Capacity-building programs.

o Technical assistance.

o Collaboration with institutions such as the World Bank.

· These efforts aim to address both:

o Hard infrastructure gaps.

o Soft infrastructure and institutional weaknesses.

Ambassadorial Panel Discussion

A panel of ambassadors discussed how international IP rules influence national innovation policies:

· Pimchanok Pitfield

· Erwin Bollinger

· Marta Bonet Guerricabeitia

· Emmanuelle Ivanov-Durand

· The discussion focused on how the TRIPS Agreement supports innovation and creativity within different national contexts.

Additional Research Sessions

Further sessions explored:

· Global regulation of fashion trademarks.

· Protection of medical and pharmaceutical patents.

· AI governance and data regulation.

· Copyright protection for artists in the digital age.

Discussion on WTO Principles

· The conference concluded with a discussion between:

o Robert Staiger

o Tanuja Garde

· The conversation focused on the Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) principle and its relevance to international trade and intellectual property governance.

Key Takeaway

The conference highlighted the growing challenge of adapting intellectual property frameworks to the realities of AI, digital technologies, and data-driven innovation. While the TRIPS Agreement continues to provide stability for global trade and innovation, policymakers and researchers increasingly face questions about how existing IP systems should evolve to accommodate rapid technological change while promoting inclusive economic development.

[ABS News Service/24.06.2026]

Artificial intelligence (AI), digitalization and technology are having a profound impact on intellectual property right protections, but how can the framework of international law keep pace with innovations? That is one question that 120 academics, researchers and policy makers debated on 18-19 June in Geneva, Switzerland. The two-day event was part of the 5th IP Researchers Europe (IPRE) Conference organized by the Faculty of Law, University of Geneva, in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the WTO.

Participants discussed research on emerging issues in areas such as AI, technology transfer, biotechnology, geographical indications and development, copyright in the digital environment, data protection, public health and trade secret protection.

The opening day began with a speech by WIPO Deputy Director-General Hasan Kleib. "Intellectual property (IP) is the bridge that turns ideas into tangible benefits for society. Researchers help ensure this by probing how IP ecosystems function in practice, identifying emerging challenges and informing evidence-based policy," said Mr Kleib.

"The work of IP researchers attending the IPRE will play a central role in achieving these kinds of outcomes and WIPO is proud to support them, so that innovation and creativity from anywhere can contribute to growth, opportunity and prosperity for all," he noted.

Breakout sessions focused on topics such as the impact of AI on copyright protections, transnational implementation of geographical indicators and trademarking cultural assets and technologies.

Day Two at the WTO began with a keynote address by Deputy Director-General Johanna Hill. She noted that "the great questions of economic growth, resilience and development are no longer only about capital, infrastructure or trade routes. Increasingly, they are also about knowledge: how it is created, how it circulates, how it is protected, and how societies ensure that innovation and creativity serve broader public purposes."

"IP frameworks play a fundamental role in enabling global trade in the new economy. Nowhere is this deep relationship expressed more clearly than in the TRIPS [Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights] Agreement," ( she continued.

DDG Hill noted that the TRIPS Agreement has provided a sturdy backdrop since its launch in 1994 but that new developments, particularly in AI, are causing fundamental shifts in IP law.

"Against this backdrop, the TRIPS Agreement remains an important pillar of stability and predictability. Its provisions continue to support innovation in diverse economies and in global trade. They are also foundational to cross-border technology transfer, investment, innovation and research networks. Experience shows that stability through predictable rules is key to progress. But we face an ongoing change - even disruption - in how innovation and creativity are generated and shared," she noted.

DDG Hill raised questions for researchers and policymakers to consider, such as how to encourage innovation and creativity, and ensure they thrive. And how members can support their domestic priorities and realities, while maintaining coherence with international rules.

"Trade, and digital trade in particular, can serve as an engine of growth and development. But these benefits are not automatic. They require investment, including in digital infrastructure, education and training. Without adequate domestic capacity, developing and fostering innovative and creative economies is not just difficult - it may not be possible at all," said DDG Hill.

She noted that the WTO is supporting members through extensive capacity building efforts and partnering with institutions such as the World Bank to identify and address members' soft and hard infrastructure gaps.

The address was followed by a panel discussion guided by Tanuja Garde, Director of the WTO's Intellectual Property, Government Procurement and Competition Division.

Panelists included:

· H.E. Mrs. Pimchanok Pitfield, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Thailand to the WTO

· H.E. M Erwin Bollinger, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the WTO

· H.E. Sra Marta Bonet Guerricabeitia, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Chile to the WTO

· Mme Emmanuelle Ivanov-Durand, Permanent Representative of France to the WTO

The discussion provided insights on the role that international IP rules, and the TRIPS Agreement in particular, play in members' domestic IP policy, and in the development of innovation and creativity in their economies.

Further breakout sessions looked at global regulation of fashion trademarks, protecting medical patents, AI and data governance, and artist copyrights in the digital age. These were followed by a fireside chat in which Robert Staiger, Director of the WTO's Economic Research and Statistics Division, discussed the most favoured nation principle with Tanuja Garde, Director of the WTO's Intellectual Property, Government Procurement and Competition Division.