Is it IP as usual? Singapore IP Week tackles the big questions facing IP in the age of AI

1            SINGAPORE, 26 August 2026 – The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) officially kicked off Singapore IP Week 2026, bringing together business leaders, policymakers, and intellectual property (IP) experts to examine how IP laws and frameworks can continue to support innovation in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI). 

2            Themed “The Rise of AI: Is It IP as usual?”, this year’s event comes as AI is challenging the rules that underpin today’s IP systems, raising complex questions around authorship, inventorship, disclosure, protection and liability. 

3          Guests of Honour Edwin Tong SC, Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs and Dr Tan See Leng, Minister for Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry) opened Singapore IP Week 2026. A series of initiatives were announced at the event to strengthen Singapore’s innovation ecosystem and support enterprises in managing and deriving value from their intangible assets (IA) and IP. 

4          Minister Tan said: “In an increasingly uncertain and rapidly changing world, innovation will be a key source of growth and competitiveness. Our enterprises must remain agile, innovative and resilient to thrive amidst change. The Government will continue to support enterprises to harness AI and innovation, translate ideas and intellectual assets into economic value, and scale into regional and global markets through deeper ASEAN integration and international partnerships. By staying open and connected, Singapore and our enterprises can continue to seize new growth opportunities and remain competitive.” 

Strengthening Singapore’s Innovation and IA/IP ecosystem 

5          The Ministry of Law and IPOS announced a public consultation on AI and IP to seek views on how Singapore’s IP regime should respond to the latest developments in AI, in particular issues arising under Singapore’s copyright and patent regimes. 

6          To strengthen the valuation of intangible assets, a set of IA Valuation Guidelines has been developed and published today by the Institute of Valuers and Appraisers Singapore (IVAS). The guidelines provide practical guidance that complements international standards and seek to promote more robust, transparent and consistent intangible asset valuation practices, supporting businesses, investors, lenders and valuers in assessing and communicating the value of intangible assets. 

7          IPOS also launched the Technical Reference for Enterprise IA/IP Management, which aims to provide enterprises with practical guidance, templates and standardised practices to support the systematic management of IA and IP. 

8          Riding on the Technical Reference, a new certificate programme in Enterprise IA/IP Management will be launched in partnership with a local institute of higher learning, to equip business professionals with the skills to support effective IA/IP management within enterprises and encourage the wider adoption of such capabilities across the region. 

Convening global policymakers 

9          Alongside Singapore IP Week, Singapore hosted the 79th ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC), convening the most senior IP policymakers from all 11 ASEAN nations. 

10        Singapore IP Week also drew ministerial representation from Cambodia, Indonesia, and Laos. Attendance was also seen from global heavyweights, including the Commissioner of the Japan Patent Office, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Intellectual Property of the Republic of Korea, the Commissioner of the China National Intellectual Property Administration – together representing three of the world’s five largest IP offices. Senior officials from Denmark, Uganda and the UK were also present, reflecting the global reach of Singapore’s IP partnerships. 

11        The Global IA Valuation Network was established by six organisations, including the International Trademark Association (INTA), the International Valuation Standards Council (IVSC), the Licensing Executives Society International (LESI) and WIPO, together with IPOS and the Institute of Valuers and Appraisers Singapore (IVAS). The network brings together expertise from its founding members and provides a dedicated platform to share knowledge and exchange perspectives on IA valuation.  

Recognising enterprises using IA/IP for growth

12        The inaugural regional IP for Growth Awards (IPGA) ceremony was held on 25 August 2026, ahead of Singapore IP Week 2026. The IPGA recognised 11 winners from across Asia that have used IA and IP to strengthen competitiveness, enter new markets and support business growth. The WIPO National Award for WIPO Users was also presented at the ceremony. IPGA recognises enterprise growth at different stages, and the diverse ways companies and innovators use IA/IP to succeed.

13        The winners include CRecTech, which develops modular systems that convert methane- and carbon-dioxide-rich biogas from palm oil waste into renewable methanol; Axium Industries, which has developed a proprietary agentic AI platform that automates supply chain operations for mid-market enterprises in asset-intensive industries; and Kopi Near Me, which offers traditional Nanyang kopi through smart automated machines. International companies including Jio Platforms (India), LOCA Company (Laos) and Mengniu Dairy (China) were among the recipients. Full profiles of the IPGA and WIPO National Award winners are available in the Annex [PDF, 494.53 KB]. 

14          Tan Kong Hwee, Chief Executive of IPOS said, “The conversations at Singapore IP Week reflect the breadth of perspectives needed as AI continues to reshape the IP landscape. By bringing together policymakers, businesses, international organisations and the innovation community, we can better understand the challenges ahead and develop practical approaches that support innovation and build confidence in the global IP ecosystem.”

About Singapore IP Week 2026 

Singapore IP Week 2026 is the world’s premier Intellectual Property (IP) event that brings together IP thought leaders, legal experts and innovative enterprises to network and discuss cutting-edge issues surrounding IP and its impact on the ecosystem. In 2025, Singapore IP Week attracted more than 1,000 delegates from over 40 countries and drew the support of more than 90 partners.  

About IPOS 

The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) is the national authority that registers and is responsible for the administration of IP rights in Singapore. IPOS helps businesses use intangible assets (IA) and IP to grow and is committed to building Singapore into an international IA/IP hub. IPOS is a statutory board under the Ministry of Law. 

IPOS International is a private limited company fully owned by IPOS, committed to building Singapore's future growth as a global hub for intellectual property creation, commercialisation and management. We serve the public sector, investors, private enterprises, not-for-profits, service providers and individuals through patent search and analysis, training and IP management services. Together, we amplify creativity and enable innovation, to realise tangible economic and social value from intangible assets.