Artificial intelligence (AI) encompasses technologies that have
become increasingly relevant — and strategically important
— to companies of all sizes across a wide range of fields.
For example, AI technologies such as computer vision are critical
to the operation of autonomous vehicles and pick-and-place robots.
Natural-language processing, speech recognition, and context
awareness are core capabilities of any product or automated service
that communicates by voice with end users. As more players crowd
the AI space, aggressively and efficiently developing AI patent
portfolios is an important consideration for start-ups and
multinational corporations alike.
In the U.S., most AI technologies can be protected by a patent.
But certain AI technologies can face increased scrutiny at the U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) with respect to whether the
invention is directed to patent-eligible subject matter. The USPTO
follows a two-step analysis to determine whether a
