The USPTO just announced an AI-powered image search tool for design patent prior art, set to launch on October 1, 2025. Following recent legal shifts permitting examiners to cite prior art across any field, the AI net will widen dramatically. Why it matters: getting a design patent approved in the US is about to get a lot harder.
The USPTO just issued new guidance declaring that only "natural humans" can be listed as inventors on patents, ruling out AI models as inventors or co-inventors. While AI-assisted inventions aren't barred from patent protection, human applicants must prove they made a "significant contribution" to the conception—such as specific prompt construction or heavily modifying the outputs. Simply running a prompt or owning the model doesn't cut it.
