INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, TECHNOLOGY, AND INNOVATION: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF LEGAL PROTECTION AND SOCIETAL IMPLICATIONS IN UGANDA

  • Unique Paper ID: 197034
  • Volume: 12
  • Issue: 11
  • PageNo: 6715-6719
  • Abstract:
  • Intellectual property (IP) plays a central role in fostering innovation and economic development within knowledge-driven economies. In Uganda, rapid growth in digital creativity, technological innovation, and artificial intelligence (AI) has intensified both the value of IP and the vulnerability of creators to infringement. This article critically examines Uganda’s IP protection framework against the pressures of digital transformation and emerging AI technologies. Using a doctrinal legal analysis supplemented by indicative empirical data from enforcement reports and a survey of 120 creators and innovators, the study identifies persistent enforcement deficits, low registration rates, widespread digital piracy, and legislative uncertainty surrounding AI-generated works. The findings demonstrate that although Uganda possesses a comprehensive IP framework, enforcement institutions and judicial processes remain ill-equipped to respond to technologically mediated infringement. The article concludes that targeted legislative reform, technologically enabled enforcement, enhanced judicial capacity, and clarified approaches to AI authorship are necessary for Uganda to effectively harness innovation while safeguarding creators’ rights.

Copyright & License

Copyright © 2026 Authors retain the copyright of this article. This article is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

BibTeX

@article{197034,
        author = {Lubega Farouq},
        title = {INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, TECHNOLOGY, AND INNOVATION: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF LEGAL PROTECTION AND SOCIETAL IMPLICATIONS IN UGANDA},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {11},
        pages = {6715-6719},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=197034},
        abstract = {Intellectual property (IP) plays a central role in fostering innovation and economic development within knowledge-driven economies. In Uganda, rapid growth in digital creativity, technological innovation, and artificial intelligence (AI) has intensified both the value of IP and the vulnerability of creators to infringement. This article critically examines Uganda’s IP protection framework against the pressures of digital transformation and emerging AI technologies. Using a doctrinal legal analysis supplemented by indicative empirical data from enforcement reports and a survey of 120 creators and innovators, the study identifies persistent enforcement deficits, low registration rates, widespread digital piracy, and legislative uncertainty surrounding AI-generated works. The findings demonstrate that although Uganda possesses a comprehensive IP framework, enforcement institutions and judicial processes remain ill-equipped to respond to technologically mediated infringement. The article concludes that targeted legislative reform, technologically enabled enforcement, enhanced judicial capacity, and clarified approaches to AI authorship are necessary for Uganda to effectively harness innovation while safeguarding creators’ rights.},
        keywords = {Intellectual Property, Innovation, Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, Uganda, Copyright, Patents, Trade Secrets, Enforcement Capacity, Knowledge Governance.},
        month = {April},
        }

Cite This Article

Farouq, L. (2026). INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, TECHNOLOGY, AND INNOVATION: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF LEGAL PROTECTION AND SOCIETAL IMPLICATIONS IN UGANDA. International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology (IJIRT), 12(11), 6715–6719.

Related Articles