Office of the Chief Economist
IP Australia’s Office of the Chief Economist (OCE) produces evidence and advice to inform IP policy and increase understanding about the IP system’s economic role and impact.
The OCE’s research program is organised into 5 thematic streams. These are (1) the economics of IP policy and practice, (2) the response of IP to economic shocks and cycles, (3) the challenges to IP posed by emerging and digital technologies, (4) the drivers of engagement (and under-engagement) with IP, and (5) the value and distributive impacts of IP and innovation. The OCE also oversees the annual production of this report.
A key focus for 2024 is to leverage new data and methods to evaluate patent quality. Earlier this year we published a new study using machine learning to measure patent scope (see chapter 2). As well as providing new insights to inform policy, this work opens new opportunities to benchmark Australian patents and guide examination practice.
Due for completion in 2024, a second study looks at the incentives for different stakeholders to accelerate or delay the patent process and the economic impacts. The study is a collaboration with IP Australia’s Patents Examination Group to inform operational decision making, while also deepening understanding of different innovators' needs from the IP system. As next steps for this research it is investigating the effects of patent timing on innovation by applicants’ competitors.
In Australia, as in several other countries, there is substantial debate about the optimal role for the patent system in spurring advancement in computing technology and inventions implemented by computers. The debate has gained traction as countries strive for technological leadership in new technology areas such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing. IP Australia has commissioned a study comparing the outcomes for such patents when filed across jurisdictions, to test whether Australian law is aligned with international standards.
These projects are on top of IP Australia’s ongoing programs of research to better understand the IP system’s role and impact across settings, from firm investment to competition, trade and inventor labour markets. For more information, see Publications and reports. To discuss opportunities for collaboration, email chiefeconomist@ipaustralia.gov.au
Centre of Data Excellence
The Centre of Data Excellence (CODE) is the central point of contact for cross-cutting questions requiring IP data and analyses from multiple sources across IP Australia and globally. CODE provides a patent analytics service and a data ‘front door’ service for external stakeholders to answer data-related queries for different IP rights.
The Data Front Door and Analytics (DFDA) team, located within CODE, provides data products and services covering IP filings in Australia. The data is used by university researchers, government departments and agencies, attorneys, and it underpins this report, supporting research and policy decision making. Users can access these services by emailing data@ipaustralia.gov.au.
In 2023, DFDA released a new open data product, IP RAPID, replacing Intellectual Property Government Open Data (IPGOD). Our open data products are available at data.gov.au.
IP RAPID is a publicly available dataset, refreshed weekly, that provides access to over 100 years of information from IP Australia on IP rights applications. Providing a ‘one-stop shop’ for administrative data allows users to research the classification of IP rights, linkages between Australian and international IP rights, and IP transfers between parties.
In 2024, DFDA is investigating opportunities to enhance data products and services, with a broad scope that includes geospatial data, customer and technology identification improvements, simplified public reporting datasets, and the development of external data visualisation products. DFDA's commitment to realise as many of these advancements as possible underscores our dedication to providing greater access to IP Australia’s data.
The Patent Analytics Hub, also located within CODE, uses global patent data to derive insights and business intelligence on innovation trends, market profiles, areas of competition and collaboration, and commercial opportunities in specific technology areas. This information is used by policy and decision-makers across government to make informed, data-driven decisions.
In 2023, the Patent Analytics Hub published patent analytics interactive visualisations on artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, a technology field in the Australian Government’s Critical Technologies List. Analysing the global patent filing trends, innovators, countries of origin, filling destinations, commercial players and collaborators in each of the technology areas of AI computing, hardware and applications provides critical information for decision-makers as Australia strengthens and consolidates its national capability.
The Patent Analytics Hub’s analysis of patent filings in quantum technologies, published in 2023, informed National Quantum Strategy prepared by the Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR). We also responded to requests from other federal departments and agencies with patent analytics on various technologies, including semiconductor technologies, battery technologies, medical monitoring and assistive technologies and RNA platforms and therapeutics.
During 2023, we continued to support the Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS) and the DISR Critical Technologies Hub in their work to ensure that Australia’s critical technology policies are balanced, effective and evidence-based as part of the Australian Government’s Action Plan for Critical Technologies. The Patent Analytics Hub, in collaboration with Defence Science and Technology Group and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, prepared research and commercialisation analyses for seven critical technology fields of national interest.
In 2024, the Patent Analytics Hub will continue to support federal government agencies with patent analyses focussed on the technology areas of national interest. The agencies can request patent analytics services by emailing analytics@ipaustralia.gov.au.
IPAVentures
IPAVentures is IP Australia’s innovation capability aimed at supporting the organisation’s vision of creating a world-class IP system and promoting prosperity for Australians. IPAVentures applies a rigorous and disciplined methodology to research, ideate, prototype, validate and deliver innovative ventures.
In 2023 IPAVentures undertook an investigation into the potential ramifications of generative AI on the registered IP rights, creating a series of provocations and questions to stimulate discussion. This was followed by an exploration of how or if the IP system could be used to contribute to social priorities as well as contributing to economic growth.
In 2024 IPAVentures has undertaken an investigation into how trends and developments in open source and open innovation might have bearing on the IP rights system. This will soon be followed by exploratory work into the growth territory of ‘Protect IP’ to explore what, if any, opportunities there might be for supporting the strength of intellectual property rights.
Disclaimer
The results of the studies in this report are based, in part, on ABR data supplied by the Registrar to the ABS under A New Tax System (Australian Business Number) Act 1999 and tax data supplied by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to the ABS under the Taxation Administration Act 1953. These require that such data is only used to carry out functions of the ABS. No individual information collected under the Census and Statistics Act 1905 is provided to the Registrar or ATO for administrative or regulatory purposes. Any discussion of data limitations or weaknesses is in the context of using the data for statistical purposes and is not related to the ability of the data to support the ABR or ATO’s core operational requirements. Legislative requirements to ensure the privacy and secrecy of this data have been followed. Only people authorised under the ABS Act 1975 have viewed data about any firm when conducting these analyses. In accordance with the Census and Statistics Act 1905, results have been confidentialised to ensure that they are not likely to enable the identification of a particular person or organisation.