Experts say OpenAI’s patent pledge amounts to little more than ‘virtue signaling’

OpenAI has announced a pledge not to use its patents offensively, claiming to support innovation and only use patents defensively. However, experts criticize the pledge as vague and potentially meaningless. The pledge's language leaves room for broad interpretation, and OpenAI's limited patent portfolio relies more on trade secrets. As a voluntary statement without legal weight, the pledge is seen by some as a public relations move rather than a substantial commitment to fostering competition in the AI industry.