Is intellectual property dead?

Intellectual property is far from dead. Trademarks are worth billions of dollars and copyright is at the root of the entertainment industry around the world. The example you cite probably refers to patents.

Patents are valuable for enhancing profit if you have a success in the marketplace. Patents will not make your product succeed with consumers. But if you have a success and have an effective Patent, then you can continue to charge higher than normal prices. This will give your business greater value if you wish to sell - out.

Unfortunately, although investors often insist that you have patents or pending patent applications, for the greater part these prospective patent rights will not have a meaningful impact on competitors in the marketplace. Perfectly valid patents issue that have “loopholes”. Of course if they cover irrelevant features then competitors will not be bothered by them. They will just omit marketing competing products that include the irrelevant feature.

Accordingly, Intellectual Property is not dead. But whether it is relevant is highly conditional, particularly in the case of patents.