INTA: You don’t need a crystal ball

The IP landscape is evolving quickly, and stakeholders of all types must embrace change and adapt or be left behind. What does the future hold? International Trademark Association chief Etienne Sanz de Acedo investigates.

“We don’t have a crystal ball!” was a frequently uttered phrase in 2020. It was the case inside the International Trademark Association (INTA) as we navigated the tremendous uncertainty brought about by COVID-19. In the shadow of the pandemic, our desire to understand the future has become even more acute. We want to be prepared for the unknown. We want to remain relevant. We want to be innovative and a force for positive change.

Yet, while we don’t have a crystal ball, we can—and should—ask big questions about the future and map a path forward. No doubt, the IP landscape is evolving quickly, and stakeholders of all types must embrace change and adapt or be left behind, so what does the future hold for IP?

IP offices (IPOs) offer a good indicator. INTA convened the IP Office of the Future Think Tank in early 2019. It brought together 14 current and former heads of IPOs from around the world (Australia, Canada, Chile, Europe, France, India, Mexico, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Uganda, and the US) to ask the big questions and to envision what the IPO might look like in ten to 20 years’ time.