THE QUEST FOR PATENTABILITY OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE INVENTIONS. AN ALBANIAN LAW PERSPECTIVE

Plarent Ruka
University of New York Tirana, Albania

doi: https://doi.org/10.56461/iup_rlrc.2026.7.ch1

Technological breakthroughs have often challenged traditional perceptions of legal institutions. It was the industrial revolution that led to the need for internationalization of patent law, with the first wave marked by the Paris Convention of 1883. Similarly, it can be reasonably expected that the involvement of artificial intelligence in the creative domain will most likely trigger the need for regulation of the patentability of works created by artificial intelligence. The traditional perspective on intellectual property law in general, and of patent law in particular, is currently challenged at a local level in various cases regarding whether artificial intelligence-generated outputs can qualify as inventions, who may be recognized as the inventor, and how disclosure and novelty standards should adapt to machine-driven creativity.

This paper examines these issues through the lens of Albanian patent law, situating national provisions within the broader European and international context as well as selected jurisprudence of various states, such as the United States of America. It explores the readiness of the current legal framework to accommodate the challenges raised by artificial intelligence, as well as the potential for regulating this matter under the upcoming artificial intelligence governance legal framework. Ultimately, it argues for a constructive approach that balances legal certainty with technological progress. From a methodological point of view, while I focus my analysis on the Albanian legal framework, particularly on the patent law enacted recently, the discourse is highly relevant for other legal orders as well, inasmuch as the governance of artificial intelligence might be a relevant channel for addressing challenges of patent law.

Keywords: Albania, artificial intelligence, patents, persons.

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