Perplexity’s new AI tool aims to simplify patent research

Patents are notoriously difficult to search for, but Perplexity has launched an AI-powered tool that’s supposed to make the process a little easier. Its new patent research agent allows you to search for patents using natural language, rather than a string of keywords.

As an example, Perplexity says you can enter something like, “Are there any patents on AI language learning?” or “Key quantum computing patents since 2024,” and Perplexity will return relevant results, along with AI-generated summaries of each one.

Perplexity says its tool extends beyond exact keyword matches, too. That means if you search for “fitness trackers,” Perplexity will also surface patents filed under related terms, like “activity bands,” “step-counting watches,” and “health monitoring watches.” Its tool can also search through academic papers, public software repositories, and other sources for prior art.

Perplexity is making its patent research tool free for everyone to use while it’s in beta, with Pro and Max subscribers getting additional usage quotas and configuration options. You can try out the tool by entering a search for a patent directly in Perplexity.