論揭露使用人工智慧細節在人工智慧輔助發明專利申請案的重要性

On the Importance of Disclosing the Details of the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Patent Applications for Artificial Intelligence-assisted Inventions

近年來，研發人員使用人工智慧來輔助進行研發新技術已漸漸成為趨勢。因此美國專利商標局訂定了「人工智慧輔助發明的發明人指南」，列出五個指導原則，讓申請人可以更加瞭解人工智慧輔助發明申請案的相關規定。另外，指南明確指出人工智慧輔助發明的申請案中，自然人必須要有對發明有重大的貢獻才可以列名發明人。需要注意的，若人工智慧輔助發明的申請案中，沒有自然人列名為發明人，美國專利商標局可以拒絕該申請案。但由於指南沒有明文要求揭露專利說明書哪個部分是人工智慧的產出，哪個部分是自然人的貢獻，本文認為未來會造成許多法律爭議。因此，本文指出「人工智慧輔助發明的發明人指南」缺少揭露人工智慧使用的相關細節，對於專利權人、專利審查官、被告與專利權讓與中的受讓人將造成具體影響。有鑑於此，本文建議我國智慧財產局未來修訂專利法與專利審查基準時，可以在人工智慧輔助發明的申請案，要求應該揭露人工智慧使用的相關細節。另外，同時建議修改專利法實行細則，在人工智慧輔助發明的申請案，要求申請人採用「人工智慧輔助發明請求項」撰寫方式，讓專利審查官可以容易快速的辨認人工智慧的產出與自然人的貢獻。

In recent years, it has gradually become a trend for Research and development to use artificial intelligence to assist in researching new technologies. Therefore, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has formulated the“Inventorship Guidance for AI-Assisted Inventions”, which lists five guiding principles so that applicants can understand the relevant provisions of artificial intelligence-assisted invention applications. In addition, the guidelines point out that in applications for artificial intelligence-assisted inventions, natural persons must have made significant contributions to the invention before they can be listed as inventors. It should be noted that if no natural person is listed as the inventor in an application for an artificial intelligence-assisted invention, the USPTO may reject the application. However, since the guidelines do not explicitly require disclosure of which part of a patent specification is the product of artificial intelligence and which part is the contribution of natural persons, this article believes that it will cause many legal disputes in the future. Therefore, this article points out the specific impact on patentees, patent examiners, defendants, and assignees in patent assignment because the guidelines lack relevant details disclosing the use of artificial intelligence. In view of this, this article suggests that when TIPO will revise its patent law and Patent Examination Guidelines in the future, it can require that relevant details of the use of artificial intelligence be disclosed in applications for artificial intelligence-assisted inventions. Furthermore, it is also recommended to amend the Enforcement Rules of the Patent Act, applicants are required to use the“Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Invention Claim”method of writing in applications for artificial intelligence-assisted inventions, so that the examiner can easily and quickly identify the output of artificial intelligence and the contribution of natural persons.