Are Privacy and Intellectual Property Still Relevant? Perspectives From History, Biology, Math, and AI

Explore the relevance of privacy and intellectual property in the modern era through a thought-provoking conference talk presented at All Things Open 2023. Delve into perspectives from history, biology, mathematics, and artificial intelligence to gain a deeper understanding of these concepts. Examine how big data, AI, opaque patents, and extended copyright durations have impacted the original intentions behind privacy and intellectual property. Draw parallels between these ideas and systems of hierarchical interaction, from the evolution of multicellular organisms and ant colonies to the attribution of historical inventions and economic mechanisms. Investigate the implications for open source and knowledge sharing by analyzing lessons learned from various metaphors and analogies. Gain insights into the future of privacy and intellectual property in the context of conventional warfare and cyberwarfare.