Perplexity launches AI-powered patent search using natural language

Perplexity has launched Perplexity Patents, a specialized AI search engine that allows users to search patent databases using natural language queries instead of complex keyword searches. The tool addresses a longstanding pain point for researchers, inventors, and businesses who need to navigate dense patent documentation but lack expertise in traditional database searching methods.

What you should know: Perplexity Patents transforms how people search through patent databases by accepting conversational queries and returning comprehensive results.

• Users can ask questions like “Are there any patents on AI for language learning?” or “Key quantum computing patents since 2024?” instead of constructing complicated keyword searches.
• The tool returns collections of relevant patents with an inline viewer and direct links to original documents.
• Users can ask follow-up questions conversationally to refine or broaden their search results, with the system suggesting new potential topics.

How it works: The AI-powered search engine uses semantic understanding to capture related concepts that traditional keyword searches might miss.

• If someone searches for “fitness trackers,” Perplexity Patents will also surface results about “activity bands,” “step-counting watches,” and “health monitoring wearables,” even without exact keyword matches.
• The tool provides contextual understanding that goes beyond literal term matching, making patent research more intuitive for non-experts.

Beyond patents: The platform extends its search capabilities to academic research and early-stage innovation tracking.

• Perplexity Patents also helps users explore academic papers, public software repositories, and other sources where new ideas first appear.
• This broader scope gives users data on a subject’s wider landscape, including projects that haven’t reached the patent stage yet.

Availability and pricing: Perplexity Patents is currently available in beta worldwide starting November 1, 2024.

• The tool is free for all users during the beta period.
• Pro and Max subscribers receive additional usage quotas and model configuration options.
• This launch coincides with Perplexity’s flagship AI search engine, which became free for the first time earlier this month, though free users face search limitations.