【百一时讯】（双语）人工智能对商标的潜在影响
美国专利商标局于2019年10月30日宣布，就人工智能（AI）可能对商标、版权和其他形式知识产权造成的影响征求公众意见。关于商标，美国专利商标局提出了两个具体问题：
On 30 October 2019 the USPTO announced that it was seeking public comment on the possible impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on trademarks, copyright and other forms of intellectual property. With respect to trademarks, two specific questions were asked:
在商标检索中使用人工智能是否会影响商标的可注册性？如果影响，怎么影响？人工智能对商标法有何影响？兰姆法案中现有的法律语言是否足以解决在市场上使用人工智能的问题？
Would the use of AI in trademark searching affect the registrability of trademarks? If so, how?How, if at all, does AI impact trademark law? Is the existing statutory language in the Lanham Act adequate to address the use of AI in the marketplace?
该局现在公布了收到的100份意见书，并对这些材料进行了详细审查，以深入了解商标、创意和技术行业是如何预料人工智能将如何改变法律和专利商标局实践行动的。以下是一些关键的预测、警告和问题。
The office has now published the 100 submissions received, scrutiny of which provides insight into how the trademark, creative and technology industries expect AI to change legal and office practice. Below are some of the key predictions, warnings and questions.
人工智能有助于商标搜索和风险评估
一些提交的资料指出，在商标搜索中使用人工智能可以改进和简化商标搜索和注册过程，从而产生积极影响，应用程序协会指出：“需要商标专业人员和美国专利商标局花许多小时来完成的任务，算法可以在几秒钟内完成，这将节省时间并降低成本。”美国律师协会提出，对于商标所有人来说，人工智能可用于更客观地评估采用某一商标的风险，特别是因与一个或多个先前注册存在混淆可能性而被美国专利商标局拒绝的风险。
AI can help with search and risk assessments
A number of submissions noted that the use of AI in trademark searching can have a positive impact by improving and streamlining the trademark search and registration process, the APP Association noting: “Algorithms can handle tasks in seconds that would take trademark professionals and USPTO staff many hours to accomplish, saving time and reducing costs.” Going further, the American Bar Association suggested that, for trademark owners, AI could be used to more objectively evaluate the risks of adoption of a mark and in particular the risks of refusal by the USPTO based on a likelihood of confusion with one or more prior registrations. In reality, this is already happening.
人工智能可能导致申请人数减少
对人工智能的使用可以影响审查员的工作量。美国律师协会提出，采用人工智能可以使申请数量全面减少，从而减轻美国专利商标局审查司的负担。例如，通过评估元数据和逐像素比较图像，帮助审查人员“发现潜在的欺诈性或数字化改变的使用样本，这些样本审查律师可能无法用肉眼或在没有审查相同或类似样本的其他案件的情况下轻易辨别”。
AI could result in lower application numbers
Such use could affect examiner workloads. One suggestion by the American Bar Association was that the adoption of AI could lead to an overall reduction in the number of applications filed, and consequently, reduce the burden on the USPTO examination division. For instance, in helping examiners “find potentially fraudulent or digitally altered use specimens through evaluation of meta-data and comparison of images on a pixel-by-pixel basis, which examining attorneys may not be readily able to discern with the naked eye or without the benefit of having reviewed other cases in which the same or similar use specimens were submitted”.
可能导致更多注册被拒绝
虽然使用人工智能可以帮助申请人降低风险，但根据美国知识产权法协会的说法，还有另一个潜在的影响：“比起目前的设计代码索引方法，人工智能搜索能帮助美国专利商标局审查律师找到更可能相似的设计标记，这可能导致更多的商标由于第2（d）节规定被拒绝注册。”
It could also lead to more refusals
While the use of AI may guide applicants to lower risk filings, there is another potential impact according to the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA): “AI searching might enable USPTO examining attorneys to find more potentially similar design marks than the current design code indexing method does, and this could lead to more refusals to register on the basis of section 2(d).”
人工智能可能成为侵权者的工具
虽然人工智能可以成为权利人的重要帮手，但同样也可以是侵权者的福音。密歇根州立大学的反假冒和产品保护中心回顾了它在犯罪学方面的研究，指出一旦犯罪或民事侵权者能够接触到人工智能，他们可以创造出与品牌完全相反的算法：“使得侵权者有机会训练他们的算法，通过修改语言、图像或其他关键特征，以个人无法比拟的速度和效率发起多个帖子。人工智能可以用来搜索平台上的品牌和产品，进入监管机构的网站，搜索高销量者，对照数据库运行，查看哪些受保护，哪些不受保护，理论上还可以选择其他注册地。”
AI could be a tool for infringers
While AI could be an important aid for rights holders, it could equally prove to be a boon for infringers. Reflecting on its studies in criminology, The Center for Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection (A-CAPP Center) at Michigan State University noted that, once a criminal or civil infringer has access to AI, they can create algorithms that do exactly the opposite of the brands， which can “allow the infringer the opportunity to train their algorithm to initiate multiple postings with modifications to language, images or other key features with a speed and efficiency that individuals cannot match. AI can be used to actively scour platforms for brands and products, get into regulatory agencies’ websites, search for high sellers, run them against the database, see what’s protected and what’s not, and in theory choose other jurisdictions in which to register.”
人工智能将如何影响商标法
实际上，在这个问题上陪审团还没有定论。一些人认为 “将人工智能视为用户使用的工具，人工智能的输出通常应符合现行商标法”，或者法院应该在出现争议时制定判例法，但另一些人则认为存在潜在问题。例如，A-CAPP中心指出，在研究《兰姆法案》以及人工智能如何与之互动时，被告的“意图”是一个重要因素，并补充说，在使用假冒商标的情况下，被告必须“故意使用该商标或名称，知道这种标志或名称是伪造的标志”。这就产生了这样的问题，比如，人工智能是否“有意”做这样的事情：“人工智能的使用者或人工智能的创造者是否有责任避免‘有意’使用假冒商标？”
How AI will affect trademark law
Actually, the jury remains out on this question. While some felt that “treating an AI as a tool used by a user, and the output of an AI as a ‘work for hire’ should generally fall in line with existing trademark law” or that the courts should develop case law as disputes arise, others saw potential issues. For example, the A-CAPP Center noted that ‘intent’ of the defendant is an important element in question when looking at the Lanham Act and how AI may interact with it, adding that in the case of using a counterfeit mark, the defendant must have “intentionally use[d] the mark or designation, knowing such mark or designation is a counterfeit mark”. This raises questions such as whether AI can intend for something to happen: “Is the onus on the user of the AI or the creator of the AI to not ‘intend’ for a counterfeit mark to be used?”
知识产权局已经在寻求使用人工智能INTA
提交的文件中显示了其对知识产权登记处的调查数据，其中9处知识产权登记处（澳大利亚、智利、中国、日本、挪威、俄罗斯、新加坡、欧盟和美国）提供了它们对人工智能使用的深入了解。许多知识产权登记处已经处于采用人工智能解决方案的早期阶段，五家知识产权登记处正在开发包含人工智能的商标图像搜索系统。INTA注意到：“处于发展阶段的登记处希望将人工智能纳入其搜索系统将加强搜索过程……”知识产权办事处积极应用人工智能解决方案是明显趋势。
IP offices are already seeking to unleash AI
INTA’s submission revealed data from its survey of IP registries, which saw nine (Australia, Chile, China, Japan, Norway, Russia, Singapore, the EUIPO and the United States) provide insight into their use of AI. Many are already in the early stages of adopting AI solutions, with five developing trademark image search systems that incorporate AI. INTA notes: “Registries in the developmental stages were hopeful that the incorporation of AI in their search systems would enhance search processes…” The clear trend is towards positive engagement with AI solutions in the IP office environment.
未来尚未到来，但它正在迅速接近，商标申请人和知识产权局对于人工智能的使用将对实践产生重大影响。
The future is not yet here but it is fast approaching and the utilisation of AI by applicants and offices is set to significantly impact practice.
翻译：张王祎
