TrendWatch: How Smart Companies Are Rethinking IP in the AI Economy

Not long ago, patent strategy was simple: file often, file broadly, and measure success by volume. A larger portfolio implied strength, foresight, momentum. And in some markets, that logic held.

But the landscape has shifted. Quietly. Subtly. And fundamentally.

What we’re hearing from clients now isn’t “How many patents do we have?” but “Do these patents matter?” Can they support a commercial deal? Deter a competitor? Advance our valuation story? Can we walk into a board meeting, point to this patent, and say: Here’s what this protects—and here’s what it enables.

That’s a different conversation. It requires legal advisors who understand the business implications of every claim. It also calls for closer coordination between IP strategy and product vision—especially in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, where the true innovation often lies not in the outcome, but in the architecture.

At Stoel Rives, we work at the intersection of invention and intention. We help clients shape patents that support business narratives—filings that are not only defensible, but meaningful. And we’re seeing real traction when IP becomes an asset used to communicate strength, not just compliance.

Jennifer Spaith, one of our partners focused on IP and innovation, recently spoke about this shift in a conversation that resonated with a lot of our clients. If you’re reassessing the role your patents play in your business strategy, it’s worth watching.

Three questions worth asking now:

• Are our current patents still aligned with the direction of our business?
• Are we protecting process or just output—especially in AI?
• Do our IP conversations include strategy, not just filings?

If the answer to any of these is uncertain, let’s talk.