Harry Bedford

At Solve Intelligence, we build AI tools for patent attorneys. This means a design philosophy of developing, testing and refining our platforms specifically with our end-users in mind. We recognize that in order to build the best AI tools for patent attorneys, patent attorneys themselves must be involved in the development process. Their domain expertise, combined with the advanced technical knowledge of our AI and engineering teams, ensures our Patent Copilot isn’t just innovative—it’s tailored to the realities of patent practice, delivering solutions that truly work for attorneys. In this article, we explain what our patent attorneys do here at Solve, and how they collaborate with our wider team and customers to deliver our AI solutions.

2024 marked a pivotal year for AI adoption in the patent industry, with early adopters reporting significant efficiency gains and improved application quality. As we look ahead to 2025, we're poised to witness an unprecedented surge in AI implementation across patent offices and law firms worldwide. For patent attorneys looking to stay competitive and efficient, understanding these emerging AI tools is no longer optional - it's essential. In this guide, we'll explore the transformative capabilities these technologies can bring to your practice in 2025.

The UK Supreme Court has granted permission for Emotional Perception AI to appeal the decision of the Court of Appeal of 19 July 2024, in the latest chapter in this potentially pivotal case addressing the patentability of computer-implemented inventions, specifically those involving artificial neural networks (ANNs).

Generative AI is already changing how patent attorneys work, and those that use AI platforms, such as Solve Intelligence’s Patent Copilot, are reporting efficiency gains and higher quality outputs.

As the uptake of generative AI increases amongst patent attorneys, professional bodies are starting to consider best-practice and standards for using this technology. 

The European Patent Institute (epi) recently released comprehensive guidelines detailing how patent attorneys can responsibly integrate AI into their workflows. These guidelines emphasise ethics, professionalism, and accountability when using AI. In this article, we set out the key takeaways of the guidelines, and how, at Solve Intelligence, we empower attorneys to use AI in line with these guidelines, ensuring that our Patent Copilot remains a powerful but controllable tool for assisting in patent practice.

Patent attorneys often face high workloads, tight deadlines, and the pressure to deliver impeccable work. AI-powered tools like Solve Intelligence’s Patent Copilot are revolutionising how patent applications are drafted and prosecuted, offering attorneys significant efficiency gains. Here’s how to make the most of these tools and transform your workflow.

Drafting patent applications can be an arduous task. The process often requires several interactions with inventors to extract enough information to start the process, and then begins the exercise of turning that information into a coherent and detailed ~30 page patent specification. This of course takes time (and sometimes more than the proposed/estimated fee for the draft would allow). For this reason, patent drafting is sometimes considered a loss leader by those in private practice. 

From another perspective, the cost of engaging a patent attorney to draft a patent application can be a huge barrier to the uptake of IP, particularly for start-ups and SMEs. Registered IP rights can mean a great deal to these types of applicants, both in terms of carving out a slice of the market and attractiveness to potential investors. Drafting patent applications has thus historically presented a ‘problem’ to both patent attorneys and their would-be clients. 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the game in this regard. Forward-thinking attorneys that have already started utilising AI, and those using Solve Intelligence’s Patent Drafting Copilot have reported considerable improvements in their drafting practices. Such improvements are capable of tackling the drafting problem, providing benefits to both attorneys and their clients or companies alike. We’ve highlighted some of these improvements below.