Intellectual Property Management in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Exploring the Value and Organizational Implications of AI in Patent Management

Sammanfattning

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing how organizations handle knowledgeintensiveand analytical tasks. Within patent management, increasing amounts ofpatent data, growing technological complexity, and rising competitive pressure haveresulted in a growing interest in how AI can support intellectual property (IP) work.At the same time, the integration of AI into patent management raises new organizationalchallenges. While previous research has demonstrated promising technicalapplications of AI in patent-related activities, there is still limited understanding ofhow AI is currently used, perceived, and implemented in practice within corporatepatent management functions. Building on a qualitative research approach, thisstudy is based on 32 interviews with professionals from corporate IP departments,IP firms, and AI tool providers to examine current applications and the potentialof AI in patent management. The findings illustrated that AI is perceived tohold significant potential across several patent management activities, particularlyin search optimization, drafting support, portfolio analysis, and analytical workinvolving large amounts of data. However, despite strong interest and optimismsurrounding AI, implementation remains relatively limited. Several organizationalbarriers were identified, including confidentiality concerns, lack of trust in AI, fearof losing professional judgment and expertise, psychological inertia, unrealistic expectationsregarding AI performance and introduction of bottlenecks. The studyconcludes that the challenge of integrating AI into patent management is not primarilyabout whether AI has potential, but about organizations’ ability to adaptin ways that allow this potential to be realized without compromising the requirementsand professional standards under which patent management operates. Thestudy thereby contributes to the emerging literature on AI in patent management byproviding empirical insights into how organizations currently approach AI adoptionand the organizational conditions shaping implementation in practice.