TRADE SECRETS AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR AI PROTECTION: A CRITICAL INVESTIGATION INTO DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS OF TRADE SECRETS

Abstract

With the rapid and continuous growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, protecting the intellectual property rights of AI inventions has become a critical concern for developers and innovators, seeking to maintain a competitive edge. Nevertheless, due to novelty and complexity of these innovations, conventional measures of intellectual property protection including copyrights and patents, have become ineffective. Under these circumstances, trade secrets offer an effective substitute or alternative tool for safeguarding AI technologies. Protecting proprietary information that gives a company a competitive edge, trade secrets provide a way for safeguarding AI discoveries without any restrictions that are otherwise imposed by copyrights and patents. In this way, trade secrets, unlike patents, does not demand public disclosure of an invention in return for protection. This article delves into the complexities of trade secret protection, exploring its legal principles, ethical challenges, and the evolving technological landscape shaping its application. Finally, through critical assessment of trade secrets' value in the context of artificial intelligence, it highlights the gaps in present legal frameworks and suggests possible legal remedies.