The Norwegian Industrial Property Office uses artificial intelligence to support case handling. AI helps examiners with time-consuming tasks, so they can spend more time on assessments that require legal and professional judgement. An examiner always reviews the case and makes the final decision.

From internal chatbot to artificial intelligence (AI) in case handling

The Norwegian Industrial Property Office's first experience with AI began in 2024 with an internal chatbot that made it easier to search internal documents.

In the summer of 2025, we introduced the first AI solution used directly in case handling. This was a letter-writing tool in the trademark area that gives examiners draft reasoning in certain types of cases. The experience gained from this solution has since formed the basis for several AI solutions within the trademark, patent and design fields.

AI supports the examiner

The Norwegian Industrial Property Office does not use artificial intelligence to make decisions. AI is used to support different parts of case handling, for example to draft reasoning, retrieve relevant information and suggest classification.

The AI-generated information and text is always reviewed by an examiner, who checks that the content reflects the assessment of the case and makes any necessary changes before the result is used.

Letter-writing tool in the trademark area

The letter-writing tool was introduced gradually during the summer of 2025. It is used particularly in cases where a trademark cannot be registered because it lacks distinctiveness or merely describes the goods or services for which registration is sought.

The Norwegian Industrial Property Office handles around 15,000 trademark cases each year and sends out a large number of letters annually. If we cannot grant an application, we must explain the refusal in a clear, correct and understandable way.

Like many other organisations that produce a large amount of written communication, the Norwegian Industrial Property Office has long used standard templates as the starting point for drafting reasoning. Previously, examiners adapted the texts manually. With the letter-writing tool, the text is instead based on the assessments the examiner has already made and is tailored to the specific case. The rules and legal assessments are the same as before, but the texts are quicker to draft and the content is more consistent.

A mark such as FRESH JUICE, for example, cannot be registered for beverages because the expression merely describes the product and must be available for all operators in the market to use when selling similar products. In such cases, the letter-writing tool helps the examiner formulate precise and consistent reasoning.

In the trademark area, we are also developing an examination tool that automates parts of the information-gathering process in case handling. Among other things, the solution can analyse compound words, look up meanings in dictionaries, find relevant use on the internet and search the Norwegian Industrial Property Office's internal trademark knowledge base. The information is collected and presented to the examiner, who then makes the legal assessment. The solution is still under development.

AI across professional areas

We are now also applying the experience from the trademark area to the patent and design fields.

The Patent Department has been piloting a commercial, AI-based review tool for some time now, and all examiners are now being given access to it as part of their examination work. The tool complements the established search system and is particularly useful in searches where the existing tools have limitations. Experience so far shows that the tool contributes to more accurate examination.

A prototype is also being developed for the use of artificial intelligence in the handling of further-processed applications, that is, applications that have already been examined by the patent offices of other countries. This work will continue through the autumn.

In addition, the Patent Department is experiencing a large influx of AI-generated patent applications from inexperienced applicants. We are now investigating whether artificial intelligence can be used to identify applications that are unlikely to lead to a patent, so that we can target resources more effectively and handle these applications more efficiently.

In the design area, a prototype is being developed to explore how artificial intelligence can be used to improve the quality assurance of images and to suggest the correct classification before an application is filed. The aim is to help ensure that more applications are complete at the time of filing so that we can handle them more quickly.

Developed through collaboration between professional and technology teams

The AI solutions have been developed through close collaboration between specialists in the patent, trademark and design fields and IT developers at the Norwegian Industrial Property Office. The examiners have defined the needs and quality-assured the solutions, while the developers have built them. Through continuous testing and feedback, the solutions have been improved step by step. Our experience is that the best solutions emerge when people with subject-matter expertise and technological competence work together on development.

International interest

The Norwegian Industrial Property Office's work on artificial intelligence has attracted international interest. At the International Trademark Association (INTA) conference in 2026, the world's largest annual meeting place for the trademark field, we presented our solutions to other registration authorities. We are also in dialogue with several IP offices to exchange experience and discuss possible collaboration.

Several IP offices are adopting artificial intelligence in their services. Both the European Union Intellectual Property Office and IP Australia have launched AI-based tools that help applicants assess a trademark before submitting an application.

So far, the Norwegian Industrial Property Office's work on artificial intelligence has mainly focused on solutions that support case handling. In time, the experience from this work may also provide a basis for considering how AI can be used in solutions that give applicants better guidance before or during an application process.

More time for professional assessments

The goal is to use artificial intelligence where the technology provides the greatest value. This allows routine tasks to be carried out more efficiently, giving examiners more time for the assessments that require legal and professional judgement.

Source: Norwegian Industrial Property Office (Patentstyret). Date of original: 6 August 2026. Original link: https://www.patentstyret.no/en/articles/use-of-ai-in-case-handling