Morning, Thursday, 8th January 2026
Online
This conference will examine priorities for the future of intellectual property regulation in the UK. The agenda will consider latest policy and thinking alongside wider developments, including implications for AI in relation to copyright, designs and patents.
It will bring together stakeholders and policymakers to discuss the forthcoming progress report on work towards publication of the Government’s AI copyright report and economic impact assessment, as required by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025. The agenda also includes a focus on wider issues around patents, trademarks and the designs framework, in the context of government ambitions for supporting innovation and growth.
Delegates will assess the IPO’s recent work on guidance for businesses, including approaches to enforcement and tackling IP crime, considering the impact of recent court decisions on the treatment of AI-generated inventions and trademark disputes.
AI & copyright
Discussion will examine the future direction of UK policy on copyright and AI, with a focus on transparency, licensing, rights protection, and wider implications for both the creative and AI sectors. Options for licensing, including collective models and technical solutions such as opt-out mechanisms, will be discussed, as well as how concerns around economic impact on the creative industries, enforcement, and fair remuneration might be addressed.
Areas for discussion also include the liability and authorship of AI-generated works, as well as priorities for ensuring that the legal framework can adequately define and protect creative ownership in hybrid or non-human output. International comparisons and recent case law will inform discussion on options for achieving regulatory coherence, competitiveness, and leadership for the UK in responsible AI development.
Design framework
The conference will also assess priorities for simplifying the design rights regime, including proposals to improve the validity of registered designs, provide greater legal clarity to businesses, and protect emerging forms of design. Reforms to the existing protection for computer-generated designs will be considered, as well as options for introducing greater powers for the IPO to investigate designs lacking novelty. Delegates will also explore how SMEs can be best supported in registering and defending their designs, and how the UK can remain aligned with international frameworks whilst balancing domestic priorities.
Patents
Further discussion is expected on priorities for addressing challenges in the UK’s Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) framework, with the IPO consultation on improving the licensing ecosystem closing in October 2025. Attendees will consider options for reducing friction in licensing, improving transparency and compliance, mandating information disclosure about SEPs to the IPO, and supporting effective dispute resolution mechanisms.
Enforcement & IP crime
The conference will also bring out perspectives on tackling IP crime, fraudulent patents generated through patent mills and counterfeit products, as well as long-term strategies for balancing the interests of developers, copyright owners and other stakeholders in light of international pressures. We expect this to include consideration of best practice from outside the UK, the role of social media evidence in disputes, and practical approaches to achieving an IP framework for the UK that supports both innovation and rights protection.
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those already due to attend include officials from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology; Department for Business and Trade; HM Treasury; Department for the Economy, NI; House of Commons Library; Intellectual Property Office; Home Office; and The Scottish Government.
