AI and Your IP: What Every Small Business Owner Actually Needs to Know in 2026 about Copyright, Trademarks, Patents, and Artificial Intelligence

There is a significant amount of misinformation circulating right now about what AI does and does not mean for your intellectual property. In this episode, Julie King of King Patent Law, PLLC, cuts through the noise with what the law actually says RIGHT NOW about copyright, trademarks, patents, training data, and the growing threat of AI-generated digital replicas.This episode covers:What the U.S. Copyright Office now says about AI-generated works (and the three scenarios that determine your copyright status) Whether your AI prompt makes you the author of the output — the Copyright Office has a clear answerThe dangerous assumptions small business owners make about AI-generated logos and brand namesWhat USPTO guidance says about AI and patents — and why getting inventorship wrong can invalidate your patent entirelyWhat the training data fair use battle means for your businessDigital replicas, voice cloning, and why the Copyright Office is calling for urgent new federal lawTIMESTAMPS(00:00) - Introduction — why there’s so much misinformation about AI and IP right now and why that’s a huge problem(02:44) - Why listen to me about AI and IP? (04:06) – What’s in this episode? (05:12) - Section 1: Copyright and AI — the three scenarios and human authorship(10:01) - Do your prompts make you the author? The Copyright Office’s answer(12:00) - Copyright registration, AI disclosure requirements, and why documentation matters(17:39) - Section 2: Trademark and AI — the logo generator problem and the trademark search AI can’t do(22:30) - Section 3: Patents and AI — why AI cannot be your inventor and what that means for your business(26:57) - Section 4: Training data and the fair use question(30:51) - Section 5: Digital replicas, voice cloning, and the trademark strategy gaining attention in 2026(38:16) - Key takeaways and wrap-upThe companion attorney-focused episode drops next Tuesday, covering the Heppner privilege decision, AI meeting notetakers, and ethics traps for solo and small firm practitioners. Links:2023 blog post, Can You Copyright or Trademark a Logo Designed by AI?:https://kingpatentlaw.com/can-you-copyright-or-trademark-a-logo-designed-by-ai/Copyright Office AI reports: copyright.gov/ai/USPTO AI guidance: https://www.uspto.gov/subscription-center/2025/revised-inventorship-guidance-ai-assisted-inventionsUpdated April 2026 blog post: AI and Your IP: What Every Small Business Owner Actually Needs to Know in 2026 https://kingpatentlaw.com/ai-and-your-ip-what-every-small-business-owner-actually-needs-to-know-in-2026/Book a consultation: kingpatentlaw.com⁠. We serve intellectual property clients nationwide and business and estate planning clients in Illinois.Avoid the legal horrors, and keep rocking your IP.This information is for educational purposes only, is not legal advice, and does not form an attorney-client relationship. For advice about your specific situation, consult with a licensed attorney. This episode contains attorney advertising material. Julie King | King Patent Law, PLLC | 301 N Neil St Ste 400, Champaign IL 61820. Phone and email available at kingpatentlaw.com