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.
Personalized for You
How does this regulation affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this federal register document means for your household, plus every other regulation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Key Dates
Department and Agencies
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-19613, Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) Actions
The USPTO is asking for public feedback on its paperwork rules for the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB). This helps make sure the forms are easy to use and don’t waste anyone’s time. If you’re involved in trademarks, now’s your chance to comment before October 26, 2026, with no new fees or big changes planned.
2026-19576, Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Generic Clearance for Information Pertaining to Events, Registrations, and Programs
The USPTO is asking for public feedback on a new plan to simplify how they collect info for events, registrations, and programs they run. This change will make it easier and faster to get approval for forms used at these events, affecting anyone who attends or participates. Comments are open until November 23, 2026, with no new costs expected.
2026-17525, Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Substantive Submissions Made During the Prosecution of the Trademark Application
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (hereafter "USPTO" or "Agency"), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites comments on the extension and revision of an existing information collection: 0651-0054 (Substantive Submissions Made During the Prosecution of the Trademark Application). The purpose of this notice is to allow 60 days for public comments preceding submission of the information collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
2026-17524, Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) Appeals
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (hereafter "USPTO" or "Agency") will submit the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, on or after the date of publication of this notice. The USPTO invites comments on the information collection renewal of 0651-0063, which helps the USPTO assess the impact of its information collection requirements and minimize the reporting burden to the public. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on April 20, 2026, during a 60-day comment period (91 FR 20986). This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments.
2026-16744, Request for Comments on Community Outreach Office Locations in the Southwest States
The USPTO wants your ideas on where to open new community outreach offices in the Southwest states like Arizona and Texas. These offices will help inventors, small businesses, and students get better support with patents. Share your thoughts by September 16, 2026, so the USPTO can pick the best spots and keep innovation booming without extra costs to you!
2026-16315, Administrative Updates to the General Requirements Bulletin for Admission to the Examination for Registration To Practice in Patent Cases Before the United States Patent and Trademark Office
Starting August 11, 2026, the USPTO is upgrading Biomedical Science degrees from Category B to Category A for patent bar eligibility. This means more people with this degree can now take the patent exam and become patent practitioners. No extra fees or delays—just a smoother path for those with the right science background to join the patent world!
Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2025-19491, Sunshine Act Meetings; Notice of Meeting To Be Held With Less Than Seven Days Advance Notice
The FDIC is holding a public board meeting on October 7, 2025, with less than a week’s notice. They’ll discuss new rules about how regulators use reputation risk and unsafe banking practices. This quick meeting affects banks and the public by shaping important financial safety rules, but it won’t cost anyone extra money.
Next: 2025-19494, Determination Pursuant to Section 102 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, as Amended
Starting October 8, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security is speeding up the building of barriers and roads along the New Mexico border by temporarily skipping some usual rules. This move helps stop illegal crossings and keeps the country safer, making border security stronger and faster. It affects construction projects near the border and shows the government’s commitment to protecting the nation without delay.