五大特許庁（IP5）における特許審査へのAI活用

23/6/2026

日本・米国・欧州・中国・韓国の五大特許庁（IP5）では、審査の効率化と品質向上を目的に、先行技術調査や画像検索、文書要約などの実務へAIを導入しており、人間が最終判断を担う「ハイブリッド審査」への移行が共通の潮流となっています。
特に生成AIの適用は実証段階から本格運用への転換点にあり、国際的な連携や法的なガイドラインの整備も急速に進展しています。一方で、AIによる検索精度の向上は出願人にとってのハードルを上げており、より具体的で論理的な明細書作成といった戦略的対応が重要になってきています。
各国の到達度や制度設計には差異があるため、実務家には最新の運用実態を正確に把握することが求められています。
生成AIに、日本・米国・欧州・中国・韓国の五大特許庁（IP5）における特許審査へのAI活用に関する最新動向を調査させ、多角的に整理させました。なお、生成AIによる調査・分析結果は、公開された情報からだけの分析であり、必ずしも実情を示したものではないこと、誤った情報も含まれていることについてはご留意されたうえで、ご参照ください。

AI Utilization in Patent Examination Across the IP5 Patent Offices
The five major patent offices (IP5)—Japan, the United States, Europe, China, and South Korea—are increasingly adopting AI technologies in patent examination processes, including prior art searches, image retrieval, and document summarization, with the goals of improving examination efficiency and enhancing quality. A common trend across these offices is the transition toward a “hybrid examination” model in which AI supports examiners while final decisions remain the responsibility of human experts.
The application of generative AI, in particular, is reaching a turning point, moving from pilot programs and proof-of-concept projects toward full-scale operational deployment. At the same time, international cooperation and the development of legal and procedural guidelines governing AI use are advancing rapidly.
On the other hand, improvements in AI-driven search capabilities are raising the bar for patent applicants. As patent offices become more effective at identifying relevant prior art, strategic responses—such as drafting specifications with greater technical specificity, logical consistency, and robust support for inventive step—are becoming increasingly important.
Because significant differences remain among countries in terms of implementation maturity, system design, and regulatory frameworks, patent practitioners must maintain an accurate understanding of the latest operational developments in each jurisdiction.
I asked a generative AI system to investigate and organize the latest developments regarding the use of AI in patent examination at the IP5 patent offices—Japan, the United States, Europe, China, and South Korea—from multiple perspectives. Please note that the findings and analyses generated by AI are based solely on publicly available information and may not necessarily reflect actual circumstances. They may also contain inaccuracies, and should therefore be reviewed with appropriate caution.

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