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From AI to Integrated Services: The IP Trends Revealed by Our 2024 IP Outlook Research
IP Trends in Technology: From Automation to Generative AI
Our IP Outlook Research has revealed that the IP and legal sector is not only enthusiastic about the potential of AI to streamline routine tasks but is also becoming impatient for new and more sophisticated AI-driven tools.
Among our key findings:
62% of IP professionals say their organizations are quite or very enthusiastic about the adoption of AI.
How would you describe your organization’s appetite for AI? ©Questel 42% have already embraced some AI capabilities in their IP departments or practices or would ideally like to do so (10%). A further 29% are preparing by monitoring for AI adoption by their peers or competitors first.
Which statement best describes your approach to AI/machine-learning technology? ©Questel The top three areas for AI adoption in IP today are patent search, competitor analysis, and IP reporting:
Top three areas for AI adoption in IP. ©Questel Infringement identification (40%), trademark and design search (36%), and patent drafting (32%) were identified as the top three opportunities for Generative AI-based tools:
What would you most like to use Generative AI tools for patents? ©Questel 
What would you most like to use Generative AI tools for trademarks and designs? ©Questel 78% of respondents expect AI integration to inform their choice of IP service providers in the next five years.
Do you expect AI to influence your choice of supplier in the next five years? ©Questel Accuracy & performance (42%) was by far the most important factor when deciding whether to buy AI features.
What drives your decision to purchase an AI-based tool? ©Questel
IP Trends in Technology: Who and What Is Driving the Evolution of AI in IP?
To accompany our IP Industry Outlook Research, Questel’s IP Consulting team undertook a patent landscape report of IP-related AI innovations. Their analysis of IP trends identified that the number of patents filed for IP-related AI has increased at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30% since 2013, with the data showing that AI is being deployed through various applications in the IP field, including for:
- 1. Generative AI applications to assist in patent and trademark prosecution, e.g., submitting documents and responding to office actions.
- 2. AI tools designed to automate patent, trademark, and design searches, including patent landscape analysis.
- 3. AI-driven solutions that compile and draft comprehensive reports, such as patent landscapes, to provide insights into the state of the art in a particular technology domain.
- 4. Generative AI systems that assist in drafting patent applications, including claims, detailed descriptions, and embodiments of the invention.
- 5. AI technologies that analyze patent portfolios and market data to identify potential licensing opportunities.
- 6. AI algorithms that enhance current patent search capabilities, allowing for more efficient identification and categorization of patents.
- 7. Interactive AI-powered chatbots that provide guidance and answers to common questions in the patent and trademark fields.
- 8. AI-enhanced image search technologies tailored for identifying and analyzing visual elements in trademarks, patents, and designs.
- 9. AI systems specialized in translating patent documents across multiple languages, maintaining the precise and technical nature of the language used in patents.
Analysis of the filing data showed that this boom in activity originates from a multitude of players from different backgrounds:
IP Trends in Technology: Innovation Beyond AI
Innovation in IP technology and service delivery in general also came top of our respondents' wish lists when it came to facing their current and future challenges.
While 38% of respondents say they are very happy with their current IP systems, this satisfaction is not shared across the board:
- 32% are frustrated that their IP technology is not integrated with other business tools,
- 22% say their IP technology has fallen out of date compared to rival systems or is simply too slow or complex to use, and
- 21% say they have too many separate IP tools but are locked into long-term use with their current service/software provider.
IP Trends: Pressing Concerns
Despite advancements in technology, IP professionals face increasing pressure on budgets and resources, with the need to “achieve more with less” remaining a perennial concern.
Of the respondents surveyed for our IP Outlook Research, 63% highlighted the total cost of IP management and ownership as their most pressing challenge, followed by global portfolio control and oversight (49%) and budget pressures (48%).
When filtered by type of organization, those numbers increase for in-house professionals, with 67% selecting total cost of IP management, 54% global portfolio control and oversight, and 49% cost concerns. However, cost management is not only a concern for in-house professionals. Of IP law firm respondents, 46% ranked budget as their second most pressing concern (after the total cost of IP management and ownership—60%), with global portfolio control and oversight in third (44%), recruitment/retention of IP specialists in fourth (33%), and international IP enforcement in fifth (31%).
When asked what support they needed to overcome these challenges, innovative technologies (38%), portfolio insights/analytics (37%), and integrated software & services (33%) came out top:
Alongside increased innovation, IP professionals want to see more efficiency in IP administrative processes and supplier cost reductions over the next five years.
IP trends and insights from our IP Industry Outlook Research, including the perspectives of the industry leaders we interviewed for our report, by downloading 'Beyond the Hype: How Technology is Transforming IP' now.
