21 August 2026
Drug companies credit AI in announcements but not patent filings
First reported
The Algorithm ran this on .
- Biotech firms using AI to discover drugs list AI in public statements but name only humans as legal inventors on patent applications.
- US patent law currently requires inventors to be human, creating a mismatch between how companies describe their discoveries publicly and legally.
- Legal experts like Ryan Abbott contend this gap could create problems if patents face court challenges down the road.
How it was covered
The AlgorithmMIT Technology Review
Biotech companies using AI to discover drugs claim AI credit in press releases but name only humans as patent inventors, exposing a legal gap. US courts have ruled that only humans can be named inventors under patent law, but legal experts like Ryan Abbott argue this may need to change as AI generates drugs with minimal human contribution, risking future patent challenges.