Thaler v. Vidal — AI as Patent Inventor Denied (Fed. Cir., cert. denied)
Fed. Cir. · Thaler v. Vidal, 43 F.4th 1207 (Fed. Cir. 2022), cert. denied, 143 S. Ct. 1783 (2023)
Stephen Thaler, inventor of the 'DABUS' AI system, sought to list DABUS as the inventor on two patent applications. The Federal Circuit ruled in August 2022 that under the Patent Act 'inventor' must be a natural person. The Supreme Court denied certiorari in April 2023, settling U.S. law: AI systems cannot be inventors of record.
Technical detail
Thaler v. Vidal, 43 F.4th 1207 (Fed. Cir. 2022), cert. denied, 143 S. Ct. 1783 (2023). Held: 35 U.S.C. § 100(f) limits 'inventor' to a natural person; no statutory ambiguity permitting AI inventorship. USPTO issued February 2024 inventorship guidance applying this rule and requiring named human inventors with significant contributions.
Who is protected: (Doctrinal — establishes that AI cannot be a patent inventor of record)
Who must comply: Patent applicants before USPTO and U.S. federal courts
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Fed. Cir. |
|---|---|
| Level | Federal |
| Status | In effect |
| Protection strength | Stronger protection |
| Effective date | 2022-08-05 |
| Citation | Thaler v. Vidal, 43 F.4th 1207 (Fed. Cir. 2022), cert. denied, 143 S. Ct. 1783 (2023) |
| Topics | AI disclosure and transparency · automated decision-making |
| Last verified | 2026-06-17 |
| Official source | Thaler v. Vidal — CourtListener Fed. Cir. opinion ↗ |
Related AI disclosure and transparency rules elsewhere
- Trump AI Innovation & Security EO (June 2026) · In effect
- CO ADMT Act (SB 26-189, 2026) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Utah SB 319 (health insurer AI) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- FERC order directing PJM and other grid operators to reform · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Morris County resolution urging state oversight of data cent · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- SU-47 Special-Use Data Center Zoning District Ordinance · Proposed / pending
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