With the increased use of artificial intelligence (“AI”) programs, intellectual property law has been faced with a variety of unanswered questions. One such question is whether AI systems qualify as inventors for patents. Another is whether AI systems qualify as authors for copyrights. The world of trade secrets is similarly facing new questions and challenges due to the use of AI. Some of these challenges … Continue reading Can AI Keep A Secret?
My fascination for motorsports skyrocketed since attending my first NASCAR race last summer.
So naturally, I discovered Formula 1 (F1), a similar motorsport. F1 is the highest level of open-wheel-single-seater auto racing sport. Most importantly, F1 is known for pushing the boundaries of technology and engineering.
Although F1 generally did not captivate me as much as NASCAR, the F1 intellectual property (“IP”) dramas involving trade secrets got my attention. First, I will explain why there is trade secret drama to begin with, and not a different type of IP drama. Then, I will cover some trade secret fundamentals. And, of course, I will share the trade secret drama that inspired this post: Spygate.
So, hold on to your seats as we go on this ride!
Continue reading “The Driving Force of Formula 1: Trade Secrets”
Silicon Valley, located in the San Francisco Bay Area, is well known as the global center for innovation and technology. Given this reputation, it’s no surprise that numerous different tech companies and startups call this place home – companies like Apple, Google, and Meta, just to name a few.
Continue reading “Whistleblowers and Trade Secrets: A Theranos Case Study”
Nearly every business relies on confidential information for a competitive advantage. Famous examples include secret formulas, like the recipes for Coca-Cola and Kentucky Fried Chicken. Other examples include valuable algorithms, processes, data, and practices kept reasonably secret by all different types of businesses. If information is kept secret and gains economic value from its secrecy, a trade secret exists, and its owner has the legal right protect it.
Continue reading “Trade Secrets in Staffing: Best Practices”
Stealing, scheming, heroes, villains, action! You might think I’m talking about the new James Bond movie, but I’m actually talking about intellectual property!
When people hear the words “intellectual property” they may think of the traditional patents, copyrights, or trademarks. But most people might not realize that there is another kind of IP – trade secrets. I definitely fell into the “not knowing” category prior to working at an IP firm this past summer.
Continue reading “My Summer Working on “Secrets” … Trade Secrets!”
How well can you keep a secret? How about a secret that has been around for over a century and is one of the most sought after secrets in the world? Well, that’s the challenge for those who know the world-famous secret formula of the original Coca-Cola, better known as Coke. The company protects the formula by shrouding it in a great amount of secrecy. But, how did this formula come to be and how it is protected under intellectual property law?
When most law students think of protecting an invention or technology, they immediately jump to patents, which is a type of IP granted by the government to protect inventions. However, trade secrets are also a type of intellectual property that can protect technology. And, trade secrets can sometimes be more useful – and valuable – than patents. As we will see, companies are increasingly turning to trade secrets as a means of protecting their intellectual property. Some of the biggest IP litigation cases in recent years have involved trade secrets. Almost every company uses trade secrets to protect information. A downside to trade secrets however, is that they are sometimes difficult to protect. Continue reading “The Benefits (and Difficulties) In Protecting Trade Secrets in a Digital Age”
What does intellectual property (“IP”) have to do with government accountability? As I learned a couple weeks ago, quite a bit. But, let’s start with basic secrecy before we get into trade secrets.
Continue reading “Transparenc-IP: Government Spending You Can’t Know About”
