Every year has its “it” term.In 2025, the crown belonged to AI, and rightfully so. AI dominated the headlines, flooded the USPTO’s dockets, and triggered more §101 rejections than any examiner would care to admit. If you worked in tech, you had to talk about AI. If you worked in patent law, you likely had
Introduction
A collision is on the horizon. The collision is between a strict interpretation of the human authorship requirement under U.S. copyright law, and the ascendence of generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) as an essential element of modern creativity. From publishing and advertising to music, film, media, and software development, AI systems are reshaping workflows and
When Dr. Stephen Thaler asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider the human authorship requirement for copyright protection last month, many observers dismissed the effort. Thaler’s claim—that his generative AI system should be recognized as the author of its own outputs—has been consistently rejected by courts and the Copyright Office. On its face, Dr. Thaler’s petition
Another day and another change at the USPTO. On October 8, the USPTO announced an Artificial Intelligence Pilot Program for pre-examination searches. Last week, on October 24, the USPTO followed with the Streamlined Claim Set Pilot Program aimed at accelerating examination through simplified claim structures. Together, these initiatives reflect Director John Squires’ drive to modernize
In a new Law360 article, Seyfarth partners Puya Partow-Navid and Brian Michaelis examine the early actions of newly appointed USPTO Director John A. Squires and their potential impact on patent eligibility, PTAB proceedings, and patent prosecution.
The piece explores Director Squires’ initial policy moves, including his decision to personally oversee AIA trial institution decisions and
Tomorrow, October 9, 2025, Lauren Leipold and Owen Wolfe, Intellectual Property Partners at Seyfarth, will be speaking at the WIPR AI & IP Summit in New York.
Lauren and Owen will take part in the session “AI vs Copyright: Tackle the New Creative Battleground,” which will examine how generative AI is disrupting traditional copyright principles and the legal frameworks around them. The
Starting January 1, 2026, California’s AI Transparency Act (SB 942) goes into effect, marking the first law in the U.S. to require built-in disclosures and detection tools for generative AI content. Do not panic (yet). This law does not apply to every system out there. In fact, many companies may be surprised to find they’re
A day after announcing that “fair use” would not shield AI training models against potential copyright infringement, President Donald Trump fired Shira Perlmutter, Register of Copyrights, and her superior, Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden. These layoffs may shape the future of copyright law in the age of AI.
Legal and Constitutional Concerns
Perlmutter’s dismissal on May
A long time ago in a galaxy not so far away, voice acting was the exclusive domain of talented humans. But today, in the age of generative AI, even the iconic voice of a legendary villain can be conjured without a single vocal cord, raising major legal questions about name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights
Now in its fifth year, Seyfarth’s Commercial Litigation Outlook continues to provide critical insights into the forces shaping business disputes. As we enter 2025, businesses are facing unprecedented legal and regulatory uncertainty. The second Trump administration is expected to reshape agency priorities, while AI-driven innovation continues to outpace the legal frameworks meant to regulate it.