The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has claimed significant benefits from its first artificial intelligence powered service, focused on identifying existing trade marks.
It has also identified three areas for developing new services based on AI.
The IPO has reported on the first year of use of its Pre-apply service, which uses AI to carry out a quick search of trade marks to compare to one being considered for application. This identifies similar existing trade marks and presents them to the customer to improve the chances of a successful registration.
It said that since the introduction there has been a 70% drop in the length of goods and services lists, which helps customers create suitable trade marks that are more likely to protect the right goods and services, leaving them less open to challenge.
In addition, there has been a 14% reduction in the average number of applications rejected due to the use of unsuitable classification terms under Nice Classification.
The service involves a customer interface and Nice classification picker, shorter and more relevant lists of goods and services than previously available, and has removed the option for customers to select all classifications listed on the page.
Heavy usage
The IPO said the service has been used over 15,000 times in the past three months, which equates to around two thirds of all applications submitted by customers who do not have an attorney.
It added that it is planning to make further use of AI, with potential opportunities in: improved automated text searches using natural language processing; automated help and guide and chatbots that could suggest classifications of goods and services; and advanced validation and authentication features across customer accounts and application processes.
In October the organisation launched a consultation on how the copyright and patent system should deal with AI.
Image from iStock, Andy
