WIPO Unveils AI-Powered Image Search for Trademarks

WIPO Introduces AI-Powered Image Search for Trademarks

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has unveiled an innovative AI-powered image search technology aimed at expediting and streamlining the assessment of trademark distinctiveness within target markets.

Traditionally, image search tools relied on identifying shapes and colors in trademarks. However, WIPO’s new AI technology surpasses this approach by leveraging deep learning to recognize conceptual combinations within images – like an apple, a falcon, a tree, a crown, a vehicle, or a star – to identify similar marks already registered.

This advancement results in a more refined and precise selection of potentially similar trademarks, facilitating stronger strategic planning for brand expansion into new markets. Not only does this reduce the number of results to investigate, but it also translates into cost savings for trademark inspectors, legal professionals, industry experts, and researchers.

Francis Gurry, WIPO’s Executive General, highlighted the significance of this AI advancement, stating, “In the realm of trademarks, our cutting-edge AI technology represents a significant leap forward, providing greater certainty for new image marks’ development and simplified monitoring of potentially conflicting registrations. This augmented business intelligence is indispensable in our increasingly globalized economy, where the pursuit of brand protection is expanding rapidly.”

WIPO’s AI search technology utilizes deep neural networks and metaphorical elements to gather data from the Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks and various trademark offices worldwide.

Accessible to all users through WIPO’s Global Brand Database, this AI search technology seamlessly integrates with the database’s search engine, providing users with free access.

Expanded Search Coverage

This new feature encompasses the national collections of 45 participating trademark offices, totaling nearly 38 million trademarks. WIPO continually updates the database with new collections from across the globe.

WIPO’s Director emphasized the necessity for expanding data pools, asserting, “The increasing demand for IP rights worldwide is outpacing existing systems. WIPO’s focus on AI-based tools improves the global IP system. Trademark Registration in Pakistan offices not yet included in the Global Brand Database are urged to contribute their collections to enhance the AI capabilities.

The AI image similarity algorithm allows users to refine searches by combining it with various criteria, such as jurisdiction or specific sections of the Nice Classification – an international classification system for goods and services in trademark registration.

Moreover, users employing complex or composite images can utilize an integrated editing tool to precisely crop the desired region of interest, enhancing the accuracy of search results.