Ho Chi Minh City, 02 April 2026
Indochine Counsel participated in the 2026 ASEAN IPA Annual General Meeting & Conference in Phuket, Thailand, joining regional intellectual property practitioners and legal professionals in discussions on the future of IP protection in the age of artificial intelligence.
The conference was held under the theme “Advancing Together: Legal Practice and IP Protection in the Age of AI.” According to the ASEAN IPA programme, the 2026 meeting took place from 27–28 March 2026 at Beyond Kata & Pamookkoo Resort, Phuket, Thailand, and was organised by the Thailand Group of the ASEAN Intellectual Property Association.
Representing Indochine Counsel at the conference were Ms. Vu Hoang Ha Thu, Associate | Head of Intellectual Property, and Mr. Nguyen Trung Nghia, Junior Associate.
AI and the changing role of intellectual property
Artificial intelligence is reshaping the way businesses create, innovate, protect brands, manage data, and compete in digital markets. In this environment, intellectual property is no longer limited to registration and enforcement. It is increasingly connected to business strategy, technology adoption, brand value, risk management, and cross-border commercial activity.
The 2026 ASEAN IPA Conference reflected this shift. The programme included discussions on topics such as protection of AI-generated inventions and materials, data protection, AI-driven brand protection, and developments affecting IP practice across the region.
For businesses operating in sectors such as technology, manufacturing, digital services, media, consumer products, and e-commerce, the implications are becoming increasingly practical. Questions around ownership, authorship, inventorship, infringement, liability, platform enforcement, and use of AI tools are now part of broader commercial and legal risk assessment.
Regional insight for Vietnam-focused IP strategy
As Vietnam continues to integrate into regional and global value chains, businesses operating in the market increasingly need IP strategies that are commercially grounded, technology-aware, and adaptable to rapid regulatory and market developments.
By participating in regional forums such as ASEAN IPA, Indochine Counsel continues to stay close to emerging conversations shaping IP practice across Southeast Asia and beyond. This enables the firm to bring broader regional insight into its work with clients in Vietnam, particularly in matters involving brand protection, IP commercialisation, technology transactions, online enforcement, and IP-related risk management.
For Indochine Counsel, engagement with ASEAN IPA 2026 reflects the firm’s continued commitment to supporting clients in navigating the evolving relationship between intellectual property, technology, and business strategy.
Looking ahead
The rise of AI will continue to raise new questions for IP owners, technology companies, investors, creative businesses, and brand-driven enterprises. For companies operating in Vietnam, early legal assessment can help clarify ownership, protect commercial value, reduce enforcement risk, and align IP strategy with broader business objectives.
To learn more about how Indochine Counsel supports clients in intellectual property, brand protection, and enforcement, please visit our Intellectual Property practice page or contact us at info@indochinecounsel.com.
About Indochine Counsel
Indochine Counsel is a leading commercial law firm in Vietnam, providing legal services to local and international clients across a broad range of practice areas, including corporate and commercial, mergers and acquisitions, inward investment, banking and finance, real estate and construction, dispute resolution, intellectual property, technology, media and telecommunications, employment, and taxation.
With the guiding philosophy “Think Business, Practising Law”, Indochine Counsel is committed to delivering practical, commercially grounded legal solutions for clients doing business in Vietnam.
