I introduced Rise & Design in Rise & Design in Marshall's Mill on 28 Feb 2024. They returned to Marshall's Mill on 7 March 2025 for its monthly meeting on the theme of Growth Through Innovation. As usual, we had three speakers but, unusually one of them was the Head of Design Networth North, Terry McStea.
Terry demonstrated the power of artificial intelligence in creating designs. He had instructed an AI system to design a team of robots accepting an award, The end result was the image that appears above but there were a number of intermediate stages where the robots had extra fingers and other body parts. All of those systems have to be trained and that is a hot issue in the law with cases like Getty Images (US) Inc and others v Stability AI Ltd [2023] EWHC 3090 (Ch) (1 Dec 2023) trundling through the courts. HM Government has recently completed a consultation on IP and copyright which I discussed in UK Government Launches Consultation on AI and Copyright on 18 Dec 2024 in NIPC News.
The other speakers were Mike Waldron, Managing Partner of RDD+ and Colette Safhill, Managing Director of Myth Drinks. RDD+ is a product design and development service which works with some big names. Mike took us through a number of case studies showing the chain of development from the concept in the client's mind's eye to the finished product. As that would amount to inventing in some circumstances I asked him whether he or the client would own the right to patent the invention, He said that it would depend but in many cases, the client would own the intellectual property. Colette introduced her company and some of her tempting products. Alas, there were no free samples. The most intriguing part of her story from my perspective was about a massive competitor who marketed a product with a very similar mark or name. Apparently, she considered legal action but was advised that it was too risky and too expensive.
Colette left before the end of the meeting which was a shame because Phil Stephenson and Simon Woods of Bailey Walsh were in the audience as well as me and we could have helped her avoid similar problems in the future through trade mark registration and IP insurance, Phil gave an elevator pitch about his firm and I gave another one on developing a simple IP strategy,
As usual, we had a very congenial and stimulating morning. Terry chose good speakers and an excellent venue and arranged copious quantities of hot drinks and bacon butties. Anyone wishing to discuss this article may call me on 020 7404 5252 during office hours or send me a message through my contact form at any time.
