Patent Office Tests AI Search Tool to Spot Application Flaws Early
Published Date: 10/8/2025
Notice
Summary
The USPTO is launching the Automated Search Pilot Program to give inventors an early heads-up on possible patent issues by sharing automated search results before the official review. Inventors who want in must file a petition and pay a fee between October 20, 2025, and April 20, 2026, or until 200 applications per tech center join. This program helps the USPTO test if early feedback speeds up patent approvals and if the process can handle lots of applications.
Analyzed Economic Effects
8 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 4 costs, 1 mixed.
Limited-time pilot participation window
You can petition to join the pilot between October 20, 2025 and April 20, 2026, or until at least 200 applications are accepted in each Technology Center that examines utility applications. The USPTO plans to accept at least 1,600 applications total and may stop the program early or extend it at its discretion.
Early Automated Search Results Notice (ASRN)
If your petition is granted the USPTO will run an automated AI search and send you an Automated Search Results Notice (ASRN) before formal examination. The ASRN will list up to 10 documents in descending relevance and include a search string to retrieve U.S. patents and pre-grant publications.
Options after receiving an ASRN
After getting an ASRN you are not required to respond, but you may file a preliminary amendment, request deferral of examination, or file a petition for express abandonment to seek a refund of the search fee and any excess claims fees. Any petition for express abandonment or deferral request must be timely submitted.
Petition and fee requirement
To join the pilot you must file a signed petition (Form PTO/SB/470) on the application filing date in Patent Center and pay the petition fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(f). The petition form and fee are required for the USPTO to consider and grant acceptance into the program.
Narrow application eligibility rules
Only original, noncontinuing, nonprovisional utility applications filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) on or after October 20, 2025 and on or before April 20, 2026 are eligible. International national-stage, plant, design, reissue, and continuing applications (continuation, divisional, or continuation-in-part) are excluded.
Electronic filing and enrollment requirement
To participate, the application must be filed electronically in Patent Center using DOCX format and the applicant must enroll in the Patent Center e-Office Action Program. Meeting these technical requirements is mandatory for admission into the pilot.
AI tool data and confidentiality safeguards
The automated search uses an internal AI tool trained on publicly available patent data and excludes applicant, inventor, and assignee information to limit bias. The USPTO says it has implemented measures to ensure data security and maintain patent application confidentiality as required by 35 U.S.C. 122(a).
One petition limit and document access limits
An applicant may file only one petition per application; a second petition will be dismissed and there is no opportunity to correct petition deficiencies after dismissal. The ASRN will not place copies of cited documents in the file and foreign patent documents are not currently available in the USPTO's Patent Public Search (PPUBS), so applicants must retrieve cited documents themselves.
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