Biotechnology and food science -- with their profound implications for health, food, agriculture, and environmental sustainability -- thanks to technology, including artificial intelligence, are advancing at an unprecedented pace. However, these advancements also pose complex legal and ethical questions. How do we ensure that these technologies are used responsibly? How do we protect the rights of innovators, who until now, have mostly been human, while ensuring that life-saving treatments and safe food products are accessible?
Enter intellectual property law, which is the guardian of innovation, ensuring that creators and inventors receive credit for their contributions, while fostering an environment where creativity and innovation can flourish. But with the use of technology and the rapid advancements in biotechnology and food science -- which may now include non-human innovators -- existing IP frameworks and legal contexts may no longer be useful or applicable. This panel will explore ways in which artificial intelligence is being used in biotech and food science, the challenges and risks, and ways in which existing IP laws must adapt to keep pace.