A patent attorney is reviewing a portfolio of 143 software patents. She finds that 60% of them are related to artificial intelligence, and 25% of the AI patents are focused on natural language processing. How many patents are specifically for natural language processing?

Sun, 03 May 2026 00:41:52 +0000

**How Many Software Patents Focus on Natural Language Processing? A Closer Look Through the Lens of a Patent Attorney’s Work** In an era driven by rapid innovation and growing U.S. investment in artificial intelligence, software patents have become a key indicator of technological advancement. Recently, a patent attorney reviewing a large portfolio of 143 software patents uncovered compelling patterns: over half of these patents relate to AI, and within that AI segment, a significant portion targets natural language processing—a field shaping how machines understand and generate human language. With 60% of the entire portfolio tied to AI, and 25% of those AI patents dedicated to natural language processing, the question arises: how many patents specifically focus on natural language processing? ### Why AI and Natural Language Processing Matter Now Across industries, natural language processing powers voice assistants, translation tools, sentiment analysis, and automated customer service—functions central to both enterprise software and consumer tech platforms. As AI adoption accelerates in U.S. markets, legal and technical professionals are closely examining patent portfolios to assess innovation value, competitive edges, and future technology trends. When a patent attorney reviews a portfolio of this scale, these statistics reveal foundational insights into the depth and specialization of AI-related intellectual property.