Singapore grants Alibaba AI patent in 'record time'
The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore ( IPOS) has granted an artificial intelligence-based patent to Alibaba in a “record” time of three months.
Announced earlier today, August 28, during the country’s annual IP Week @ SG 2019, the IPOS said the patent was granted under its new Accelerated Initiative for Artificial Intelligence (AI2).
The office said the expedited application-to-grant process under AI2 will enable innovators like the Alibaba Group to quickly commercialise their IP inventions to the global market faster through Singapore, as compared to the average time of two to four years.
Additionally, it said the initiative will strengthen the country’s position as an “IP hub” for cutting-edge technologies in today’s “digital economy”.
Benjamin Bai, vice president and chief IP counsel of Ant Financial (an affiliate of the Alibaba Group), applauded the office’s “efficiency and speed”.
“Companies looking to implement AI solutions globally have grown exponentially. Against this backdrop, the speed at which a patent can be granted is critical.
“Singapore plays a pivotal role as it facilitates our entry into markets of interest rapidly. We look forward to filing more patent applications in Singapore under this initiative,” he said.
Additionally, the IPOS said it has launched a new initiative with eight other ASEAN IP offices which will prioritise patent applications in key emerging technologies such as FinTech, cybersecurity and robotics.
Under the pilot project, which was launched yesterday, August 27, innovators will enjoy a short turnaround time of six months for applications.
Qatar deal
Also announced today, the IPOS said it had signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) with Qatar Free Zones (QFZ), an authority that oversees world-class free zones in Qatar.
The IPOS said the MoU will “strengthen collaboration on IP to support bilateral economic relations and promote best practice and technology exchanges”.
Daren Tang, chief executive of IPOS said IPOS and QFZ share a “common goal of supporting innovation-driven growth”.
Tang said: “Through this MoU, we will work together to support innovative enterprises seeking business growth through the strategic use of their intangible assets and IP.
“In particular, we will put in place various IP programmes, training, events and advisory services, which we hope will strengthen our respective innovation ecosystems and enrich the connections between our innovation communities,” he added.
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