5 takeaways from INTA 2023
After being postponed due to the pandemic, the International Trademark Association’s Annual Meeting finally landed in Singapore this week.
Returning to Asia for only the second time and with a large China contingent freed from travel restrictions, this was always going to be a special occasion.
And so it was, with more than 8,000 people from 3,750 organisations making the journey to the luxurious Marina Bay Sands expo centre to meet, share knowledge, and buy and sell IP services.
Some definite themes emerged during the five-day event, which ends tomorrow, May 20. Here are some that will stick in the memory.
- The heat
South East Asia is in the grip of a heatwave and delegates arriving at the start of the conference were treated to temperatures of around 30 degrees Celsius.
Add to this the city’s infamous humidity and it’s safe to say that the visitors, many of whom had spent hours sitting on cold, long-haul flights, were unprepared for the sauna that awaited them.
“I told everyone: bring short sleeves, wear slacks and don’t wear a suit,” said one Singaporean lawyer. “But they didn’t listen.”
An upside was that attendees from the UK were on safe ground, talking about the weather to whoever would listen.
- Artificial intelligence
“If I had a dollar for every time someone said ‘ChatGPT’ this week, I’d be very rich,” said one panellist, echoing the sentiments of many at the conference.
If last year’s meeting was dominated by NFTs then this year’s has surely been AI and generative AI. Whether they are using it, thinking about it using it, or simply worried about it, the IP crowd certainly has an opinion on this ground-breaking tech, including USPTO director Kathi Vidal.
Unsurprisingly for a risk-averse bunch, many attendees have concerns, such as AI biases, data privacy, and IP infringement (see Getty (US) v Stability AI).
Meanwhile, SaaS companies in the exhibit hall were all too happy to talk up their use of machine learning and AI in their products.
- Atlanta and Dubai
When INTA CEO Etienne de Acedo announced that the meeting would be held in Atlanta next year and Dubai in 2026, not everyone was happy.
Bad memories of a previous event in Atlanta, albeit many years ago, were brought to mind by some. But one senior associate who recently visited the Georgia state capital assured that the reputation was underserved and the city has changed a great deal.
On the choice of Dubai de Acedo defended the decision from potential concerns over the country’s diversity and inclusion record. There will be “absolutely no problem” he told WIPR.
- Asia buzz
There was a palpable sense of excitement in the halls, corridors, and meeting rooms at this year’s event. People from Asia comprised more than a third of all registrants and that, combined with the host city, meant a welcome influence of Eastern culture, issues, and perspectives dominated proceedings.
With China’s Tencent as the main sponsor, dozens of new Asia exhibitors, and the innovative Intellectual Property Office of Singapore playing host, the event was an opportunity for the region’s IP players to show off their talents.
Tencent’s head of public affairs and global policy Danny Marti even shared a glimpse of the company’s incredible tech during the keynote.
Is this the year that Asia’s IP scene staked its claim as the dominant IP market of the future?
- Singapore
Those who left the Marina Bay Sands expo and shopping centre to explore Singapore were not disappointed with what they found.
A cheap, convenient and—most importantly—air-conditioned metro network, food stalls selling some of the world’s best fish, dumplings and noodles, plus receptions at roof-top bars with stunning views, combined to make this one of the best host cities in recent years.
The expo centre itself opened just 13 years ago and it showed. With a metro stop that delivers to the door and some of the best facilities many jaded conference-goers have seen, it was hard to fault and a great advert for the city.
