OIG Reports in Brief: USPTO Should Improve Governance to Promote Effective Oversight of Its Artificial Intelligence Tools

• Pages: 49-54
• Date: 01 December 2026
• Published date: 01 December 2026
• Author: Twinkle Dutta
• Subject Matter: Derecho Constitucional

Published in Landslide, Volume 18, Number 2, 2026. © 2026 by the American Bar Association. Reproduced with permission. All rights

reserved. This information or any portion thereof may not be copied or disseminated in any form or by any means or stored in an

electronic database or retrieval system without the express written consent of the American Bar Association.

LANDSLIDE December/January 2026

49

OIG REPORTS IN BRIEF

USPTO Should Improve Governance to Promote Effective

Oversight of Its Artificial Intelligence Tools

Twinkle Dutta

Federal AI Guidance

In December 2020, an executive order established foundational guidelines to ensure that agencies design, develop,

acquire, and use artificial intelligence (AI) in a manner that promotes public trust and builds confidence.1 The

executive order emphasized the importance of trustworthy AI and defined principles for agencies to follow. These

principles required that AI use be accurate, reliable, and effective; that AI tools be understandable and traceable; and

that agencies prioritize transparency in disclosure of information to stakeholders.2 In 2021, in consideration of that

order, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) set out a structure for guiding principles and key practices

for federal agencies to follow when developing and putting into practice AI systems.3 In January 2024, the U.S. Patent

and Trademark Office (USPTO) established the AI Innovation and Governance Council for the purpose of advancing

effective and responsible use of AI.4

iStock.com/Wynnr