This Week in Washington IP: Celebrating World IP Day, House Hearing on Oversight of USPTO, and the Future of AI

This week in Washington IP news, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and others celebrate World Intellectual Property Day with multiple events. A House subcommittee holds a hearing overseeing recent developments at the USPTO. The Senate is also in session as it discusses the two new finalized rules from the Small Business Administration on expanding capital access to small businesses.

Tuesday, April 25

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

AI Inventorship Listening Session – East Coast

At 10:30 AM on Tuesday at National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum – USPTO Headquarters

On Tuesday, the USPTO is holding a listening session with a focus on artificial intelligence and inventorship. This is an opportunity for members of the public to express opinions on the impact of AI technologies on inventorship and intellectual property. To attend in person, you must be registered by April 24.

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Celebrating World Intellectual Property Day: The value of her IP

At 6:00 PM on Tuesday, online livestream

On Tuesday, celebrate World Intellectual Property Day with the USPTO Office of Education. The event is held one day before World Intellectual Property Day, and this year the theme is Women and IP: Accelerating innovation and creativity. In this event, attendees will hear from high school seniors from Detroit, Michigan, Alexandria, Virginia, and Arlington, Virginia, who have been participating in the USPTO’s Intellectual Property Skills Work-Based Learning (IP-Skills WBL) program.

IPWatchdog

Women and Intellectual Property: Accelerating Innovation and Creativity

From 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM on Tuesday, online webinar

Sponsored by IP.com, IPWatchdog will hold a webinar one day before World IP Day featuring a panel of four women who have made a mark on the IP industry. Nina Archie, Program Manager at the Department of Defense Office of Small Business Program, Alison Erickson, Assistant General Counsel of Hallmark, Susanne Hollinger, Chief Intellectual Property Counsel of Newell Brands, and Marlene Valderrama, Senior IP Assets Manager & Lead Technology Scout of Halliburton, will share their achievements, insights, and perspectives on the IP industry. The webinar will be moderated by Renée Quinn, Chief Operating Officer of IPWatchdog, Inc., and will explore the challenges the panelists have face, their outlook on the industry, and the importance of encouraging more women to use the IP system to protect and add value to their work, among other topics.

Wednesday, April 26

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

World IP Day: Women and IP: Accelerating innovation and creativity

All Day

April 26 is World IP Day. Organizations worldwide are planning various celebrations and programming, including WIPO, which has chosen Women and IP as this year’s theme.

Center for American Progress

Cashing in Our CHIPS: Community Colleges and the CHIPS and Science Act

At 11:00 AM on Wednesday at 11:00 AM at Center for American Progress and online livestream

On Wednesday, the Center of American Progress (CAP) will explore how the CHIPS and Science Act can be used to invest in community colleges across the United States. The goal of the legislation was to create jobs and strengthen the domestic computer chip supply chain, and the CAP will argue that community colleges play an important role in that process. The panel includes Adrienne Elrod, Director of External and Government Affairs, CHIPS Program Office, U.S. Department of Commerce.

Senate Subcommittee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship

Oversight of SBA’s Implementation of Final Rules to Expand Access to Capital

At 3:30 PM on Wednesday at 428A Russell Senate Office Building and online livestream

On Wednesday, this Senate subcommittee will discuss the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) final rules on expanding access to capital. On April 12, the SBA finalized two rules to address gaps in capital access affecting small business owners in underserved communities. According to the SBA, “the final rules grant permanence to SBA’s program for nonprofit mission lenders, remove outdated limits on non-depository lender participation, increase opportunities for employee ownership, and modernize the credit criteria and underwriting standards to further incentivize a wider distribution network and small-dollar loans.”

Brookings Institution

The future of AI: A discussion with AI experts

At 4:00 PM at The Brookings Institution and online livestream

On Wednesday, Brookings is holding a conversation with four AI experts who are members of the National Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee (NAIAC). The NAIAC members will discuss their report released on the same day that offers recommendations to the President and Congress on the technical and policy landscape for AI. 

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

World Intellectual Property (IP) Day 2023 – Capitol Hill

At 4:30 PM on Wednesday at U.S. Capitol Building (Senate Visitors Center)

On Wednesday, the USPTO is celebrating World Intellectual Property Day at the Capitol. Thanks to the year’s theme, the USPTO will hear from women entrepreneurs, creators, designers, and inventors and learn about their journey in intellectual property. Several members of Congress will also be in attendance and offer remarks.

Thursday, April 27

House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet

Oversight of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

At 9:00 AM on Thursday at 2141 Rayburn House Office Building and online livestream

On Thursday, this House subcommittee will hold a hearing conducting general oversight of the USPTO. The committee members plan to discuss the implementation of recent legislation related to the USPTO and the USPTO’s policy-making processes. Undersecretary of Commerce and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Kathi Vidal will be at the hearing as a witness.