Anti-Counterfeiting Team Leader Interviewed on AI & Brand Protection

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Adams & Reese Partner and Anti-Counterfeiting Team Leader Kristina Montanaro Schrader was interviewed by Managing IP in the article, “Fighting AI with AI: Firms Outline Brand Protection Strategies.” Managing IP is a global news and analysis service catering to IP professionals worldwide with article topics centered around the business of law.

In the article, intellectual property attorneys explain how AI can create brand protection headaches but also how AI can be used to fight fakes.

“The best way to combat the increased volume of [listings] based on AI is to fight it with AI,” said Schrader in the Managing IP article.

AI is an effective tool for combating the rising volume of AI-generated listings, according to Schrader. Many clients are successfully using AI-powered monitoring and takedown vendors, particularly those with image recognition search tools. These tools can detect counterfeit listings that don't use brand names, which would otherwise evade word-based detection methods.

“AI tools will allow you to more easily search by image and logos,” says Schrader.

By feeding known indicators of counterfeit items, such as misspellings on labels or packaging variations, to a client's vendors, the AI can then identify listings and websites that appear to be advertising fake goods. “Then the brand owner or I can quickly approve the takedown,” she says. “It allows the brand owner to quickly tag websites as counterfeit.”

At Adams & Reese, Schrader crafts modern brand and content protection strategies for a wide range of multinational businesses and across various industries, including fashion and luxury goods, food and beverage, software, electronics, pharmaceuticals, consumer products, sports, music and entertainment, among others. Schrader previously served as an executive at the DC-based trade association International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition (IACC) and worked in-house at Gucci America and Dolce & Gabbana USA.

Schrader is a frequent speaker on issues related to IP enforcement, payment processing and the growing incidence of infringement on the dark web. She has directed public awareness campaigns for consumers and conducted training sessions for law enforcement, the financial industry and online marketplace personnel.