Non-toxic from the start thanks to AI-powered search of patent information

The Swedish Chemicals Agency and the Swedish Intellectual Property Office are to use AI and patent information in an innovation project to identify dangerous chemicals early in the development phase of future articles and products. The pilot project is being funded by Vinnova and aims to ensure that articles and products are non-toxic from the very start.

At present, efforts to tackle chemicals that are hazardous to health and the environment are largely reactive and such work requires considerable resources.

- “It is costly to society and companies to take reversing action once an article has already reached the market and dangerous chemicals are already in the environment. We believe there is great potential in using AI and patent information to ensure products are non-toxic from the start,” says Per Ängquist, Director General of the Swedish Chemicals Agency.

Analysis of patent information can be a tool to detect the use of dangerous chemical substances at a very early stage of product development. Patent information can also be used to identify new chemicals and current or new players on the market.

- “In this pilot project, the Intellectual Property Office and the Chemicals Agency are joining forces to investigate the possibility of using AI and patent information, in other words picking out solutions that are already described in patent applications, to achieve a toxin-free environment. We want to help spread knowledge and information to companies and inventors, aid more efficient inspection and a better basis for decision-making, as well as provide a benefit to society,” says Peter Strömbäck, Director General of the Intellectual Property Office.

For more information, please contact:

The Swedish Chemicals Agency’s press contact, +46 8-519 41 200, press@kemi.se