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Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the landscape of intellectual property and innovation. On September 29th, at the 2025 CIP Forum, a panel came together to examine the evolving role of AI in IP. The discussion addressed both the opportunities and challenges facing professionals, organizations, and institutions as they adapt to this unprecedented pace of change.
This post-panel reflection synthesizes key insights from the conversation, offering perspectives from policy, corporate strategy, and professional practice to help IP leaders and practitioners anticipate what's next.
Moderator: Tim Smith (Konsert Strategy & IP)
Panelists: Therese Werner (Konsert Strategy & IP), Manoj Pillai
(Clairvolex), Talal Shamoon (Intertrust), Sanna Rinaldo
(Ericsson)
I. Introduction
Reshaping Intellectual Property in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Few topics are generating as much debate, curiosity, and urgency in the Intellectual Property space as Artificial Intelligence. From the rapid adoption of new generative AI tools to the intricate challenges of integrating innovation into established workflows, IP professionals, corporate leaders, and policy-makers now face extraordinary opportunity and profound uncertainty. While excitement around AI's potential is palpable, sustainable change requires more than experiment or hype. It calls for a candid reckoning with the system-level, organizational, and professional realities of this transformation.
Drawing on our panel discussion, we share perspectives on how AI is shaping policy, corporate strategy, and the evolving role of the IP professional. We aim to clarify where the biggest shifts are happening, what it takes to leverage AI for real impact, and how IP's value – and values – may be redefined in the era ahead.
II. Policy and Systemic Challenges: The External Landscape
How AI is Transforming Institutions, Policy, and the Role of Patents
Artificial intelligence is testing the very foundations of the intellectual property system. Patent offices are on the frontline, where they may soon be facing both a surge of AI-generated patent applications and the need to upgrade internal processes. Embedding AI into examination and workflow tools has become essential to manage the volume, speed, and complexity that modern innovation demands.
While AI offers promise for efficiency – from improved prior art searching to automated classification – it can introduce bottlenecks if filings outpace examination capacity. Patent offices will need to deploy AI strategically to keep pace. The entire patent system, including courts and law makers, must also respond to rapidly accelerating technology cycles and higher expectations. Licensing practices may also evolve as businesses consider how they capture IP value and protect their rights in changing markets.
Importantly, the rise of AI is accelerating the pace of innovation. So, while AI does increase the volume of potentially patentable ideas it does not necessarily mean a flood of new patents – rather, when applied right it leads to higher-quality, more commercially meaningful patents. Ultimately patents remain central to value capture, and AI's advance is not "the death of patents". Patents continue to organize and define value, even as their primacy is challenged by faster innovation and the growing importance of data.
AI's deeper impact may transform patents at the conceptual level. Patents are complex "information assets", historically difficult to interpret and value due to technical language and vast data. Large Language Models now offer the potential to translate this complexity into plain English, surfacing actionable insights and transparency at scale. If validated, AI could fundamentally shift how patents are developed, managed, and monetized.
As these trends unfold, technology within IP offices, organizations and the wider ecosystem must adapt – alongside the evolution of policy frameworks, legal standards, and institutional practices. As digital tools and AI permeate everything from prior art searching to patent analytics, lawmakers must revisit rules and definitions to keep the IP system fair, effective and transparent. Technology and institutions must transform in tandem, each informing and supporting the other as the IP landscape is reshaped.
III. Corporate Transformation: Rethinking IP Strategy and Execution
Adapting Organizational Models, Business Practices, and the Role of In-House Teams
As AI advances, real transformation for companies goes beyond new tools – it requires a shift in how IP is managed, supported and used. Many corporations are leveraging AI for internal IP processes, yet this adoption is raising new questions about partnering with external providers as expectations for integration, interoperability, and specialized value rise.
AI is empowering in-house counsel and IP teams to expand both the scale and scope of their responsibilities, including tackling more complex challenges and navigating unfamiliar technology domains. As in-house capabilities increase, external partners such as vendors, law firms, and service providers, must rapidly evolve - providing integration, interoperability, and truly specialized value that goes beyond what can now be managed internally.
For organizations, the journey to an AI-enabled IP operation depends more on transformation than tech procurement. Rethinking organizational models and processes ensures technology enhances, rather than complicates day-to-day IP work. Strong processes, clear purpose, active change management, and data-driven accountability enable impact beyond isolated pilots.
This transformation relies on talent. Successful IP functions support upskilling, foster collaboration, and nurture a culture that values experimentation and continuous learning. Professionals who can bridge technical, legal, and business disciplines are increasingly critical.
Business models and licensing strategies must remain agile as technology cycles accelerate. Though data's strategic value in IP has grown rapidly in recent years, many companies still struggle to leverage it. As AI-driven business models and analytics become the norm, those who harness data assets with focus and strategy will set themselves apart.
Deciding whether to build in-house AI solutions or turn to external providers means asking: Do we possess unique expertise or have access to proprietary data for a better solution than the market offers? Organizations that approach these decisions with self-awareness and clear business cases are more likely to achieve lasting value from AI investments.
Leaders who marry people, process and technology in a change-driven approach are best positioned not just to keep pace with AI, but to capture its rewards.
IV. The Evolving Role of IP Professionals
Navigating New Realities in IP Practice and Professional Value
AI is reshaping daily realities for IP professionals. Tasks once reserved for specialized legal expertise – such as prior art searching, patent drafting, and portfolio analytics – are increasingly augmented or handled by AI-driven solutions. Real efficiency gains are emerging, freeing professionals for more strategic work.
However, AI is not always the answer. Hallucinations, flawed data, and the need for quality assurance mean robust oversight remains indispensable. As technology matures, the professional's role may shift, but experience, judgment, and creativity cannot simply be automated away. The most valuable professionals are those who excel in context, business alignment, and strategic foresight.
Adaption demands upskilling and organizational flexibility. Teams must receive not just new tools but training, governance, and chances to help shape change. The ability to assess and implement AI solutions – rather than merely use them – distinguished high-performing professionals.
Rapid innovation cycles mean today's best practices may soon be obsolete. Continuous learning, openness to experimentation, and embracing new multidisciplinary roles are crucial. Organizations and professionals who recognize AI as a catalyst for growth when applied on the right use cases – not just a tool or a threat – will be best positioned to redefine the value and impact of IP expertise.
V. Future-Proofing IP: Strategies for Leaders and Practitioners
Practical Recommendations for Embracing Change
To lead in an AI-driven IP landscape, organizations must be proactive. Allocate resources to AI projects with clear business cases and measurable impact – sometimes dedicating a significant portion of the IP budget to these priorities. Early wins via focused pilots build credibility and pave the way for broader adoption.
Leadership must balance the potential of automation with the need for rigorous quality, creative and strategic work only people provide. Building a learning and experimentation culture is key to sustaining teams and operating models as business needs and technologies evolve. Ongoing upskilling and multidisciplinary collaboration foster resilience.
Ultimately, lasting transformation requires more than the latest tech. Strong leadership, robust data and infrastructure, and a commitment to rethinking both process and purpose will position organizations to survive – and thrive – in the AI era.
VI. Conclusion
Moving Forward: Building Resilient, AI-Driven IP Ecosystems
AI is reshaping the IP landscape challenging institutions, organizations, and professionals. Success will come not from keeping up with tools or regulations, but from embracing adaptability, integration, and continuous learning.
Fair, effective, and valuable IP systems in the AI era demand transformation across technology, organizational models, and policy. Those who collaborate, champion creativity alongside automation, and stay vigilant about risks and opportunities will thrive.
The urgent challenge is not whether AI will shape IP's future, but how IP professionals can work together to ensure transparency, effectiveness, and enduring values. By aligning people, process, and technology – leaders will not only adapt, but help define the next chapter for intellectual property.
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