Sometimes the careers we are meant to follow do not exist yet, and by following our curiosities, we can carve out space and make room for what will be needed in the future. Micaela Mantegna is a WIPO Academy alumna and the world’s first “Abogamer”. She coined the term herself to match her unique knowledge and skills as a videogame lawyer specialized in industry policy, trends and regulations. She is now paving the path for the next generation of videogame lawyers in the uncharted territories of the Metaverse.
Mass Effect’s influential role in arousing curiosity for AI
figurine of Garrus Vakarian,
a character from Mass Effect
(Photo: Micaela Mantegna)
Not all fun and games
Growing up in Patagonia, Argentina, Micaela never gave much thought to intellectual property (IP) – instead she nurtured her passion for videogames after getting her first console at the age of 12. When Mass Effect came out in 2007, she was entranced by the gaming franchise, which features a significant thought-provoking artificial intelligence (AI) element in the storyline concerning the ethics and philosophy of AI in the future.
Harry Potter Lexicon Lawsuit sparks interest in Videogame Copyright
This curiosity left a deep imprint on her mind, but it wasn’t until the infamous case of the Harry Potter copyright infringement in 2008 that her attention was brought to the importance of IP as it showcased how legal expertise could connect with open questions about cosplay and fan fiction with a lot of room for creative thinking. As a Potterhead the case connected the dots for her and pushed her to pursue a career as a copyright scholar, focusing on the intersection of digital society and IP law. At the time, research on videogame law was not very popular but she was adamant on following her curiosity.
Recipient of the Google Policy Fellowship for AI Governance Work
With this career shift, Micaela moved to the capital and completed a specialization degree in computer law at the University of Buenos Aires in 2018. To learn more about IP, she enrolled in the WIPO Academy’s distance learning courses in 2016. At the time, the topic of videogame law grew in relevance as the streaming industry gained popularity, and in recognition for her cutting-edge research Micaela received the Google Policy Fellowship in 2017.
Trust your curiosity and intellectual intuition, as it can be instrumental for the future. At first, my research on videogames was not seen as very relevant but now that the streaming industry is booming, my research is very much needed and in-demand.
Micaela Mantegna, Abogamer, WIPO Academy alumna, Berkman Klein Center at Harvard affiliate and TED Fellow
copyright entitled “ARTficial:
creativity, artificial intelligence
and copyright.”
(Photo: Micaela Mantegna)
ARTficial – Now a Reference Book in AI Copyright Law
Micaela began working as a researcher at the University of San Andrés in Argentina when she heard about a new Joint Master’s Degree Program in IP and Innovation launching on campus with WIPO. She applied and was one of the graduates among the first cohort of the program in 2019. Her dissertation focused on AI and copyright, and she eventually used her research to write and publish her first book through the university entitled “ARTficial: creativity, artificial intelligence and copyright”.
The book explores machine intelligence and creativity, and she wrote it for artists, content creators and streamers interested in learning more about the dynamics of the new era of creativity. Micaela initially wrote the book in Spanish because she wanted to be part of Latin American contributions to the literature on IP and machine learning. Her research and the success of her book were both made possible through the support network offered to her by the University of San Andrés and her peers from the Joint Master’s Degree Program.
Benefits of the Scholarly Community of the Joint Master’s Program in IP
I strongly encourage my fellow Latin American scholars to enroll in the Joint Master’s Program in IP and Innovation offered by WIPO and the University of San Andrés, because you won’t only walk away with the knowledge to strengthen society, but you will also gain a supportive community of alumni from the program. It really creates a fertile ground to build a scholarly community, and an invaluable support system.
Micaela Mantegna, Abogamer, WIPO Academy alumna, Berkman Klein Center at Harvard affiliate and TED Fellow
New Research on the Governance of the Metaverse
At the moment, Micaela is working on translating her book into other languages, and she is drafting her second book which focuses on the Metaverse. She is also an affiliate at the Berkman Klein Center at Harvard University, doing research on videogame policy, ethics, and immersive technologies for extended reality (XR), with a focus on the governance of the Metaverse.
Today everyone is a content creator, and IP law is a key element of the Metaverse. Research on this is important…more than ever right now.
Micaela Mantegna, Abogamer, WIPO Academy alumna, Berkman Klein Center at Harvard affiliate and TED Fellow
Commander Shepard 2.0 inspiring Women In Games Argentina
As an avid female gamer involved in different aspects of the field from scholarly research to cosplay, the stark gender inequality across video gaming was gnawing at her. The issue became even more apparent when she attended a videogames conference in 2018 and noticed that all the speakers were men.
To follow in the footsteps of Commander Shepard from Mass Effect, she wanted to protect her peers, and in a heroic gesture she decided to set up a community for women in games to empower them. Women In Games Argentina (WIGAr) started off in 2018 and now boasts approximately 300 members.
In my view, the end goal of Women in Games Argentina would be not needing it anymore, in the sense of having an equitable industry without gender discrimination, and a society where there is no room for toxicity or violence aimed at women playing, developing or working in games. We run different campaigns to both raise awareness of these issues, and at the same time, empower more women and minorities to consider a career in gaming, by showcasing different roles and professions in the industry.
Micaela Mantegna, Abogamer, WIPO Academy alumna, Berkman Klein Center at Harvard affiliate and TED Fellow
Interested in building your IP knowledge and skills?
Micaela continues to build her IP knowledge and skills as a life-long learner and Abogamer when she is not sparking the curiosities of creatives, playing videogames or in-line skating at her local park.
The WIPO Academy offers year-long opportunities for those wishing to develop their IP knowledge and skills through its Professional Development Program, Distance Learning courses, Joint Master’s Programs and WIPO Summer Schools.
To learn from our alumni and their experiences, please connect to our growing alumni community on LinkedIn by joining the WIPO Academy’s official “Academy Community”.
