Patents and the Fourth Industrial Revolution: The global technology trends enabling the data-driven economy

Moderator: Francesco Zaccà, Principal Director in Mobility & Mechatronics, EPO

Guests: Yann Ménière, EPO Chief Economist, Norbert Wienold, patent examiner in ICT, databases and business methods 

Yann Ménière, EPO Chief Economist joins Norbert Wienold, patent examiner in ICT, databases and business methods to discuss the latest economic study on the patent trends for technologies which enable our data-driven economy. “Data is the new oil” – whoever has the most data has the most wealth and power! The study reveals that the growth in patents for e.g. smart, connected devices, combined with 5G and AI, is running at five times the rate for other technical fields. So-called “4IR” technologies now comprise 11% of all patent applications to the EPO, and could be contributing over €2.2 trillion to the EU’s GDP by the end of this decade. The impact of these disruptive technologies on industry, our economies and our lives will be enormous and, as our experts explain, some countries are advancing more than others.