Ip regulations for ml discoveries

SDL (self-driving labs) are tools able to make discoveries of new materials and processes that are not explicitly defined. Thanks to developments in machine learning and artificial intelligence, there's a relatively high likelihood that a system can "discover" something useful. But that would trigger concerns regarding the intellectual property ownership. (See: 202504281141 Roadblocks in the future of SDLs).

In the development of intellectual property, there's normally a creative step. There was this discussion regarding the photo taken by a monkey: was the copyright in the hands of the animal or of the photographer. Is the triggering of the shutter "creative enough?" compared to setting up the parameters?

And the same discussion will happen with SDL (self-driving labs). Who will own the IP of a discovery made by an algorithm? The owner of the lab, the "user" who prepared it and triggered it? So far, there's little certainty about how patents will interact with algorithmic discoveries.