A pilot project has been carried out at the European Patent Office to use artificial intelligence (AI) to prepare minutes of approximately 150 oral proceedings held since May 2025.
In this pilot project, audio recorded within video conferencing software was transcribed using AI tools.
A draft of the minutes was then created from the transcription using another AI tool, which was then manually proofread and approved as the official minutes.
The review and objections departments reported that the pilot project not only provided more time for focused discussions due to increased efficiency, but also saw a significant improvement in the quality of meeting minutes.
The use of AI in the preparation of minutes is expected to be expanded to all oral proceedings in the Examination and Opposition Divisions, as well as proceedings held in the Receipt and Legal Divisions, during 2026.