Dr. Malte Köllner in an interview about AI-generated inventions, innovation, and legal challenges

Artificial Intelligence is transforming the world – but what about inventions: Can AI create something new? If so: Can AI-generated innovations be patented? Who must be named as the inventor? And what impact does this have on companies developing AI-based technologies?

There is currently no uniform solution to these highly topical questions in the international patent landscape. In an exclusive interview with Silicon Valley Europe, we speak with Dr. Malte Köllner about the future of patent law, the challenges of AI-based innovations, and the significance for Industry 4.0.

As a renowned German patent attorney, he brings exceptional expertise in the fields of physics and artificial intelligence.

His expertise has been recognized multiple times: In 2024, the Handelsblatt once again listed him among the “Best Lawyers” in intellectual property law, and in 2023, he received the Lawyer Network Annual Award as “Patent Prosecution Attorney of the Year in Germany.” As a lecturer at German and European universities, he is also shaping the next generation of patent law experts.

Dr. Köllner is particularly well-known for his leading role in the international debate on the patent law recognition of AI-generated inventions. He is part of the Artificial Inventor Projects and represents US AI pioneer Dr. Stephen L. Thaler, developer of the renowned artificial intelligence DABUS. This AI has independently generated patentable inventions, yet the question of whether a machine can be recognized as an inventor is answered differently by patent offices around the world.