This Workshop is offered within the GRCC preferred theme of “Innovation and the Development of Knowledge Societies in the Gulf”.The Workshop proposes to examine the notion and understanding of innovation and knowledge societies as they particularly apply to the Gulf states and their broad range of communities. Key to this examination will be the role that technological development - its promotion and protection through intellectual property – plays in fostering both innovation and the knowledge society. In brief, innovation, knowledge, society, emerging technology, economic growth and intellectual property are intertwined and inseparable. Creativity and the generation of new knowledges across the broad spectrum of technological development and associated intellectual property, are the essential sources of nourishment if the knowledge society is to flourish – or even survive. However, creation of intellectual property also needs nourishment in the form investment, recognition of risk, and opportunity for reward. The Workshop will examine the issues of emerging technologies and their impact on society generally and intellectual property, specifically within the context of the World Economic Forum’s so-called “fourth industrial revolution” driven by global and rapid technological advancements which society is currently experiencing. In this regard, the Workshop takes note of the societal and cultural character of the Gulf andits member communities and will confront the challenging question of the application of frontier technologies as being currently considered by WIPO, new methods of IP financing, commercial transactions, blockchain, NFT’s, risk sharing and equitable reward. At the same time, intellectual property requires adequate and appropriate protection to enable innovation to contribute to the development of the knowledge society. With emerging technologies and artificial intelligence comesnew challenges and opportunities for the GCC to expand its innovation capabilities and develop knowledge- based societies.