# USPTO Uses AI Agents to Reduce Examiner Workloads

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is using its Compass AI agent to automate patent-application formality checks and reduce examiners’ administrative work. The USPTO reports a backlog of 700,000 applications and approximately 9,000 examiners; the agency says the automation is intended to accelerate reviews and enable more direct examiner-applicant discussions. The announcement identifies no solicitation, contract value, or procurement timeline, so it signals a potential technology need rather than a current bid opportunity.

- Contractors offering AI workflow automation, integration, or governance capabilities can use this deployment as an indication of USPTO operational needs, while emphasizing human oversight and tools that augment examiner expertise.
- Procurement professionals and industry stakeholders should distinguish this operational development from a formal acquisition: no contract vehicle, funding amount, or solicitation is specified.
- The scale of the application backlog and examiner workforce underscores the relevance of solutions that support consistent, efficient administrative processing without replacing expert review.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Information Technology
**Topics:** Artificial Intelligence
**Published:** October 20, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

### Key Quotes
> If somebody starts relying on agents and [they] don't understand the fundamentals and don't continue to learn the fundamentals, they can get dumb.
> — Barry Schindler, Acting Commissioner for Patents

### Sources
- [USPTO looks to AI agents to ease examiner workloads - Nextgov/FCW](https://www.fcw.com/artificial-intelligence/2026/10/uspto-looks-ai-agents-ease-examiner-workloads/416719) - Nextgov/FCW
- [USPTO looks to AI agents to ease examiner workloads - Nextgov/FCW](https://www.nextgov.com/artificial-intelligence/2026/10/uspto-looks-ai-agents-ease-examiner-workloads/416719) - Nextgov/FCW