EPO to prepare minutes of oral proceedings held by videoconference with the assistance of AI
The European Patent Office (EPO) has announced in the April 2025 issue of the EPO Journal that from May 2025 a pilot will start for using artificial intelligence (AI) to draw up the minutes of oral proceedings. The pilot will apply to a limited number of oral proceedings held by videoconference before the examining and opposition divisions.
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EPO reaffirms stance towards using non-technical elements to assess the inventiveness of computer-implemented inventions (T 0279/21)
The Technical Board of Appeal of the EPO has issued a decision, T 0279/21, regarding the inventive step requirement in relation to computer-implemented inventions, and the importance of distinguishing between technical and non-technical contributions.
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Laos, the Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR), to become an EPO validation state
From 1 April 2025 it will be possible to validate European patent applications in Lao PDR. This will apply to European patent applications filed on or after 1 April 2025.
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UK
Slingsby Partners participates in IP Panel at the Materials Society at Imperial College London
Ruby Freeman was part of an IP Panel at Imperial College London, organised by the Materials Society. The panel offered an opportunity for students in the Materials department to learn about a career in IP and to ask questions about entering the profession. Topics discussed covered the routes to qualification, how to prepare for interviews, and the impact of AI on inventions.
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