FICPI’s Practice Management Committee (PMC) conducted a survey last year on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the IP profession. The survey results provide comprehensive insights into the current landscape of AI tool usage among patent attorneys, trade mark and design practitioners. They are summarised below.
Use of AI tools in the IP profession
A significant majority, specifically 67.5% of respondents, reported using AI tools in their professional activities. This demonstrates a substantial shift towards integrating advanced technologies within the IP domain. These AI tools are primarily leveraged for tasks such as patent, trade mark and design searches, translations, drafting patent applications, analysis of prior art and business development underscoring their importance in streamlining and enhancing these processes. This consistency suggests that practitioners find value in employing AI for professional tasks, indicating its versatility and broad applicability.
AI tools being used
The AI tools frequently mentioned in the survey include ChatGPT, Microsoft Co-Pilot, and DeepL. These tools cater to various needs, from drafting and search tasks to experimental applications, reflecting the diverse capabilities of AI in the IP sector. ChatGPT, in particular, emerged as a prominent tool, indicating its widespread acceptance and utility for some tasks among practitioners.
The comments from respondents provide deeper insights into the specific AI tools in use. For instance, Author AI is noted for its experimental applications, while CoPilot is used for general purposes. The list also includes niche tools tailored for particular functions, such as Qthena and various other text and image generation tools. This diversity in tool usage underscores the evolving nature of AI integration within the IP domain, where practitioners are continually exploring and adopting new technologies to enhance their work.
Challenges and benefits
Feedback on the effectiveness and challenges of AI tools reveals a spectrum of experiences. Many respondents appreciate the benefits that AI tools bring in terms of increased efficiency and improved quality of searches and drafts. These tools help streamline workflows, reduce manual effort, and enable practitioners to focus on more complex and high-value tasks. However, there are also notable challenges, particularly concerning the accuracy and reliability of AI outputs. Some colleagues express concerns about the potential for errors and highlight the need for human oversight to ensure the quality of AI-assisted work.
Ethical considerations are particularly crucial in the IP domain, where the integrity and accuracy of information are paramount. Several respondents highlighted the importance of transparency and disclosure to clients regarding the use of AI tools. This ethical obligation ensures that clients are fully informed about the technologies employed in providing IP services, fostering trust and maintaining professional standards. Some respondents noted the lack of mandatory disclosure requirements, suggesting a need for clearer guidelines and policies to govern the ethical use of AI in IP practices.
In addition, a majority of participants expressed a keen interest in participating in feedback sessions or focus groups to discuss AI tools further. This interest indicates a proactive approach among practitioners towards understanding and improving the impact of AI technologies on their work. Such engagement could facilitate the development of best practices, address common challenges, and enhance the overall effectiveness of AI tools in the IP sector.
Adoption of AI across the IP profession
Overall, the survey results highlight the significant adoption of AI tools among patent attorneys, trade mark, and design practitioners. The data underscores the importance of these tools in enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of IP-related tasks while also pointing to the challenges and ethical considerations that accompany their use. The proactive interest in feedback mechanisms further emphasises the community's commitment to continuous improvement and responsible AI integration.
Some key aspects
• AI tool usage:
o 67.5% of respondents use AI tools in their professional activities.
o 32.5% of respondents do not use AI tools.
• Regarding the purposes for which AI tools are used for IP-work, the following distribution was observed:
o Patents: 38% of respondents using AI tools are using the latter for patent searches and approximately 19% are using such tools for drafting patent applications. Finally, 24% are using such tools for analysing prior art.
o Trade mark searches: 15% of respondents using AI tools are using them for trade mark searches.
o Design searches: 9% of respondents using AI tools are using them for design searches
o Translations: AI tools are heavily used for translation purposes. More than 63% of respondents using AI tools are using these tools for this purpose.
o Administrative tasks: 25% of respondents using AI tools take advantage of these tools for business development and communication purposes.
• List of common AI tools:
o ChatGPT
o Microsoft Co-Pilot
o DeepL o Author AI (experimental)
o Bing, Bard, Claude
o Qthena
• Challenges and ethical concerns:
o Accuracy and reliability issues.
o Ethical concerns about transparency and client disclosure.
o The need for guidelines on AI tool usage in IP services.
FICPI's view and involvement
FICPI uniquely combines education and advocacy on topics around patents and trade marks, with a focus on developing the professional excellence of its individual members. FICPI Forums, Congress, committees and meetings are opportunities to gather insights from the international IP attorney community on any issue, whether it be practice-related or topics of patent and trade mark law.
Get involved
- If you have a special interest in this topic or want to share information and follow the latest updates, you are welcome to join PMC's Tech Group. Please contact me at [email protected] and we will add you to our membership list.
- Consider getting involved in FICPI's Practice Management Committee Study & Work Groups, find out more at: https://ficpi.org/organisation/committees/practice-management-committee