USPTO Extends Artificial Intelligence Search Automated Pilot Program (ASAP!)

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has extended its Artificial Intelligence Search Automated Pilot Program (ASAP!) until June 1, 2026. Originally slated to close to new petitions on April 20, 2026 (see “USPTO Announces That It Has Turned the Corner on Unexamined Application Backlog“), the Office has expanded both the duration and the scope of the program “in order to obtain more information to evaluate the effectiveness of the program.” At the same time, the USPTO has waived the program’s... By: McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff LLP