Sharism and Patents
Sharism and Patents: A Paradigm Shift Against Technological Monopolies
Introduction
As we advance into an era dominated by artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and green innovation, the limits of our current intellectual property system are becoming clear. At the center of a rising alternative is a concept called Sharism, which proposes a profound shift from protectionism to participation, from exclusivity to openness.
Sharism is not just a philosophical ideal — it is a practical response to the risks of monopolism, especially in sectors that affect human lives and planetary health. This page explores how rethinking patents through the lens of Sharism can foster inclusive innovation, social equity, and global collaboration.
Sharism is a cultural and innovation movement that promotes the idea of sharing knowledge, tools, and resources for collective progress. It is inspired by open-source principles, Creative Commons, and the growing ecosystem of commons-based peer production.
Unlike traditional models of ownership and control, Sharism sees knowledge as a living, collective asset. It thrives on transparency, interoperability, and the empowerment of communities rather than corporations.
The Problem with Patents Today
Originally intended to protect inventors and promote innovation, the patent system has increasingly become a tool for maintaining power and creating barriers to entry. This is especially visible in three strategic domains:
1. Public Health
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, patent protections delayed the production and distribution of essential vaccines to the Global South.
- Pharmaceutical giants enforced exclusivity despite public funding in R&D.
- This resulted in increased mortality and deepened health inequality worldwide.
2. Artificial Intelligence
- Proprietary algorithms and closed models dominate the AI landscape.
- Patents on data processing methods, transformers, and autonomous systems block smaller players from meaningful participation.
- Ethical risks such as bias, surveillance, and lack of accountability are amplified by centralization.
3. Climate and Green Tech
- Innovations in renewable energy, battery storage, and sustainable materials are often locked behind expensive patents.
- These barriers slow the adoption of environmentally critical solutions and limit local innovation in developing countries.
Why Sharism Matters
Sharism seeks to restore balance by proposing a shift from patent hoarding to knowledge stewardship. It envisions a world where innovation is:
- Accessible
- Interoperable
- Globally distributed
- Human-centered
Sharism does not oppose intellectual property. Instead, it encourages a framework where creators are rewarded without compromising global access to solutions.
Case Studies and Examples
Open COVID Pledge
Several companies and universities pledged to waive their patent rights for COVID-related innovations. This enabled rapid medical collaboration and production of emergency equipment.
EleutherAI
An open-source alternative to large language models, EleutherAI demonstrates how Sharism in AI can build community-owned tools that compete with corporate monopolies.
Tesla’s Patent Release (2014)
Elon Musk opened Tesla's electric car patents “in the spirit of the open-source movement,” acknowledging that accelerating sustainable transport required collective effort.
Proposed Policy Changes
To move from theory to action, Sharism-friendly policies should include:
- Open licenses for technologies with high social impact (e.g., GPL, CC BY-SA, OpenCOVID License).
- Public funding requirements that mandate open dissemination of results.
- Global repositories of shared technological solutions.
- Tax credits for companies engaging in open innovation.
- Open patent pools for AI, medical, and climate technologies.
Risks of Technological Monopolism
If current trends continue, monopolism in AI and biotech could lead to:
- Digital feudalism: a few companies controlling key algorithms and data infrastructures.
- Knowledge inequality: a divide between nations or communities that can access innovation and those that cannot.
- Stifled creativity: young entrepreneurs and researchers unable to build on locked-down foundations.
- Erosion of democracy: manipulation through opaque platforms and surveillance-driven technologies.
Sharism in the Age of AI
AI offers a unique opportunity to demonstrate the power of Sharism. Projects like OpenML, HuggingFace, and the BLOOM model are setting examples by:
- Sharing datasets and models freely
- Enabling reproducibility
- Creating AI communities guided by ethics and transparency
Conclusion
Sharism is more than an antidote to monopolism — it's a roadmap for a more democratic, resilient, and regenerative future. By embracing a collaborative model of knowledge creation, we can turn AI, biotech, and green tech into forces that serve humanity rather than extract from it.
We must act now to build systems where innovation is no longer gated by profit but guided by purpose. The transition from patents to participation is not just desirable — it is essential.
See Also
References
- Open COVID Pledge. (2020). [1]
- Mitchell, M. (2023). “Ethics of AI Agents”
- EleutherAI: [2]
- Tesla Blog. (2014). “All Our Patents Are Belong To You”
