The AHRC Research Centre for Studies in Intellectual Property and Technology Law

The AHRC Research Centre for Studies in Intellectual Property and Technology Law is a major research hub that directs international networks of scholars to figure out how the law should handle new technologies. The core problem is that laws written for a pre-digital, pre-biotech world often fail to fit the realities of gene editing, artificial intelligence, streaming platforms, and medical data. The Centre’s researchers examine where to draw the line between protecting intellectual property and allowing open access, between personal privacy and surveillance, and between free markets and government intervention to support education or scientific research. If the Centre succeeds, its findings could directly shape how the UK and other countries write laws on everything from copyright for AI-generated art to patent rules for CRISPR therapies. This matters because poorly designed laws can stifle innovation in medicine and culture, or conversely, leave creators and patients unprotected. The Centre also trains young scholars and feeds its expertise into teaching and public engagement, ensuring that the next generation of lawyers and policymakers understand the technical realities of the technologies they are regulating.