How is AI reshaping the legal world?
Most of us already use artificial intelligence to some extent, writes Lucy Walker, but to understand its impact on the future of trade mark practice, read on:
Love it or loathe it, artificial intelligence (AI) is not going away. In the legal world – and specifically the IP world – AI is not new, so why is it still a hot topic?
Most of us are using AI, but might not realise it
Some of us have clients who operate trade mark watching services, which use AI to provide a list of potential conflicting marks for our clients to review. Or we subscribe to third-party products that let us access global IP case databases, which provide insight into case analysis, as well as specialised IP searching tools that can filter by decisions based on different areas of law. These are part of our day-to-day working practices as representatives for trade mark owners.
AI in the IP world
Both the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) – the regulator of solicitors and law firms in England and Wales – and IPReg have issued commentary on the use of AI in the legal world. In October 2023, the SRA issued its Risk Outlook report, which discusses the use of AI in the legal market. IPReg launched interim guidance to help regulated persons identify elements of IPReg’s regulatory arrangements that may be relevant when considering using AI in their work.
In July 2025, The Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (CITMA) published a report on AI’s impact on IP practices, with CITMA President Kelly Saliger commenting: “AI is not merely an emerging trend, but a fundamental force with the power to reshape how we practise… CITMA… will not simply react to technological change; we will help to shape what the future looks like.”
So, what has changed?
AI is accelerating due to improved processing power, the development of powerful computing architectures specifically designed for AI applications, the availability of large volumes of data (critical for training AI models), and better AI core models and techniques (mostly neural networks and deep learning). Machine learning and AI are driving fast and extraordinary change in all areas of life.
How AI is shaping the IP landscape in 2026
To help users leverage AI’s power to enhance efficiency, accuracy and accessibility in areas of IP, WIPO has introduced a set of AI tools and applications, including:
Global Goods & Services Terms Explorer: a tool designed to provide assistance to applicants when selecting appropriate goods and services terms.
WIPO Translate: this utilises neural network technologies to offer automated translation of patent documents, scientific articles and other IP-related content.
Image Similarity Search in the Global Brand Database: this enables users to upload images or logos and find similar or identical trade marks in the database.
Vienna Classification Assistant: an AI-driven tool developed by WIPO to support Vienna Classification system use, helping to classify figurative elements of trade marks by automatically suggesting the appropriate codes.
The EUIPO has launched Early TM Screening, an AI-powered pre-assessment tool designed to help users identify potential issues with their prospective trade marks before filing. The EUIPO says that this “innovative online tool makes the filing journey smoother, simpler and less error-prone through early detection of problems that could lead to refusal of a trade mark, thus helping users safeguard their financial investment”.
There is also an increasing range of commercial products available for use by IP professionals. More powerful online searches are available; we no longer need to search on a register-by-register basis; these tools can assist in searching for conflicting marks on a global basis. Further, they not only look at visual similarity between marks, but can also search for similar-sounding marks using phonetic matching AI. They can also extend to logo marks, not just word marks.
IP portfolio analysis tools can be used to help gauge the strength and value of a trade mark portfolio, identify gaps in coverage and vulnerable rights, and benchmark portfolio strength metrics against competitors. There are also IP cost-forecasting and budgeting tools, and tools that can assist with predicting the outcome of a trade mark conflict. While not a substitute for judgment, these give data-led probabilities of success based on thousands of previous decisions. I have even seen AI tools that can generate a new brand in line with a business’s brand values and current trade marks.
Where does this leave IP professionals?
It is not that the legal world is changing; it is simply evolving. We are recognising and embracing systems that are being created to make life easier, and adjusting our daily practices accordingly. In the words of Socrates: “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.”
It is our responsibility to understand the risks of using AI and, conversely, to understand the impact on your client of not doing so. Imagine if a client asked you to monitor for conflicting marks and you did this by reviewing the UK IPO’s publications each month, as opposed to using a formal watching service provider. There is no logical explanation you could give to a client for that.
Rather than shy away from AI, we must see it as a powerful assistant. The real risk is not in using it, but in failing to adapt to it. Those who choose not to embrace its tools may struggle to keep pace with the speed, accuracy and efficiency achieved by those who do.
AI helps firms to bring in cost savings and efficiencies, and to streamline processes. It will never be a replacement for legal expertise: human judgment, experience and ethical reasoning remain indispensable. AI-generated work will always require careful review, verification and evaluation to ensure accuracy, integrity and compliance with professional and ethical standards. Be aware that AI tools can provide hallucinations, creating references that do not exist. Although the functions humans perform in IP are likely to evolve, they will not be eliminated.
With trade marks, the consumer is key – and the last time I checked, the consumer was still a human being. AI gives us more opportunities to accelerate certain simple processes, while focusing on the strategic advice that a robot cannot replicate.
If you would like to continue the conversation about trade mark protection, please contact the author or another member of the trade mark team.
This article was originally commissioned by The Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys to feature in CITMA’s ‘How is AI reshaping the legal world?’ INTA 2026 special.
