IPOEF’s IP Buddy revolutionizes IP education with lifelike avatar that answers questions
BY REID CREAGER
Remember Ask Jeeves? The butler-inspired concept, since rebranded as Ask.com, was a mainstay of the early days of the internet: a question-and-answer site and search engine that allowed users to browse the web for answers.
People typing in a question got a results page that originated from three major sources: human-powered editorial content, crawler-based results from Teoma (owned by Ask Jeeves), and paid listings powered by Google. We’ve come a long way since.
If Ask Jeeves was Mr. Information, Wikipedia is Miss Information—and in many cases, misinformation. Inventors Digest routinely warns of the danger of trusting Wiki as a reliable source because its posters often contribute bogus information, sometimes intentionally, that gets cut-and-pasted and spread throughout the internet.
Further, according to data provided by security.org last September, half of Americans said they trust information from both news and social media less than they had 12 months earlier. And more than half of social media users who share news or political posts sometimes do so without verifying facts.
Trusting a source is a judgment call. But a trusted source is a matter of fact—and never more important as misinformation runs rampant.
Especially when it comes to intellectual property and the escalating stakes involved.
IP Buddy, launched by the Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation (IPOEF) in May, provides trust and trustworthiness powered by uniquely reliable sourcing and delivered in a comfortable, human way via a first-of-its-kind, AI-powered digital assistant.
This is carefully streamlined information. Unlike traditional search engine responses to queries that attempt to cover all subjects with authority—often with lackluster or incorrect results—IP Buddy is enhanced with specialized documentation and Retrieval-Augmented Generation in order to deliver reliable, real-time answers tailored to your IP questions.
Friendly IP expertise
Kristen Lurye, deputy executive director for IPOEF, said that now more than ever, “IP is everywhere.” In fact, that is a motto for the foundation as part of its mission to promote the value of patents, trademarks, trade secrets and copyrights through education and community engagement.
In an interview with Inventors Digest that included Lurye and members of the public relations firm Big Voice Communications, she discussed the innovative and practical value of getting tailored IP information in a more personal setting.
IP Buddy’s option for users to speak with an AI-generated person, whether animated or lifelike, is “meant to be like you’re talking to a mentor, a coach, a friend, and they’re really the experts in intellectual property—rather than other platforms that have access to a number of other topics,” Lurye said.
“Our intent is for innovators, IP professionals or IP-curious creators to use this platform to learn more about intellectual property and innovation and make it really accessible.”
The importance of the comfort factor is underscored by the fact that many people are intimidated by both IP and AI, largely because of their relative complexities.
Data from 2025 say that although about 40 percent of Americans use AI tools such as ChatGPT, 44 percent of them are skeptical of AI’s effects. And a survey from the United States Intellectual Property Alliance reports that 70 percent of Americans struggle to differentiate between patents, trademarks, copyright and trade secrets.
“A lot of intellectual property can be complicated,” Lurye said. “And so the avatar kind of translates it for you to make it easy to understand and fun.”
Built using a state-of-the-art language model similar to ChatGPT, IP Buddy addresses this with avatars trained by information from predetermined source experts, with vetting by IP professionals who include patent attorneys and former judges. The goal is to make the subject matter as understandable and relatable as possible.
Big Voice Communications emphasized that the information has been curated by a leading intellectual property organization, so users of IP Buddy can also have some comfort in knowing that this information has been vetted and isn’t just coming from somewhere out in the stratosphere.
Fun on a fast track
The program developed from a plan in which an IP toolkit would be available on the IPOEF website. IP Buddy became that toolkit—that walking, talking toolkit—essentially because it’s such a vast topic that there was no way to fully cover it in eight or 10 slides, or a fancy brochure.
The program was conceived last October—and so well received by the Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation Board of Directors that it started coming together very quickly.
IPOEF and Big Voice Communications had the avatar samples designed in December, and then got the approval to move forward and start developing the current framework at the start of 2025.
The fun factor was a tentpole from those early beginnings.
“How fun to be able to utilize AI firsthand!” Lurye said. “AI is probably among the top three topics that people are speaking about right now. So it’s been really fun to see a little bit of the sausage making, if you will, as we’ve developed this app for people to use.”
The people using it could run the gamut: inventors, entrepreneurs, startup companies, students, curiosity seekers and more.
“Although we want students to use it, it is not meant only for the student population,” Lurye said.
“There really are no limits with the people who could use it. But we’re absolutely targeting students, universities, innovation hubs of all kind.”
IP Buddy is not just about learning IP information and legalities. It’s about putting that knowledge to work toward success in so many creative and education-related disciplines.
“There are so many programs out there—STEM education, STEM competitions, invention competitions—that are missing out on the opportunity to include intellectual property rights, intellectual property education,” Lurye said. “So we hope that a fun, accessible tool like this will help those sorts of programs. … ‘I’m participating in a pitch competition. Can you tell me the guidelines around what sorts of protections I could consider for X?’
“It can really help students and other young professionals or professionals alike to advance their ideas, their creations, their inventions.”
Ready for anything
Just like the avatars themselves have to be ready for any (IP-related) question, their creators had to prepare for any number of scenarios.
What if the avatar can’t answer a question? What if his or her response does not provide enough information for the user? Can or will the avatar direct the user to other possible sources of information?
“You’ve described a couple of scenarios that John (one of the four avatars) is fully prepared to answer,” Lurye said. “So first, if I say, ‘What is a patent?’ he answers, and I say, ‘I want to learn more,’ he will continue on with the conversation, because this is a lot of information we have trained it to answer in short bits, at least in the beginning.”
As for the avatar being unable to respond: “If it’s IP related, we are confident that he will be able to answer. Now, if it’s about the upcoming finals in whatever sport, he’s going to tell you that that’s not within the scope of what he has been trained to do.”
The four IP Buddy humanlike avatars are attractive and dressed well, but they aren’t lawyers and aren’t intended to be
“Although he is meant to be your buddy, he is not meant to be your attorney,” Lurye said. “So there are certain levels of information where he is going to tell you, ‘Speak to an IP attorney. Look for more information.’ Maybe it’s at the United States Patent and Trademark Office website. Or maybe it’s at ipoef.org.
“So he will hopefully, in those situations, direct you to the right place to learn more. But based on what he has been trained on, he should have some pretty detailed and layered answers around intellectual property topics.”
Feedback and fine-tuning
Lurye said IP Buddy is intended to evolve as program leaders gather information about what works best and what might need improvement.
“We definitely want to get it out there and have people use the tool so that we can make sure that we answer the questions that people have, that we can elaborate where we need to elaborate and then hopefully take it into new phases where maybe it’s providing original resources, or IP attorneys, or more direct access to pro bono or legal advice.
“We can adapt and improve according to the way that the tool works with the people we are intending to reach.”
The education users receive then becomes a mutual learning experience as IPOEF gains insight into users and the process.
“Because we want to spread free education about intellectual property, we get to try out an AI tool and learn with people. So our hope is that innovators or potential innovators, students, teachers, are able to learn more about the functions of AI while they’re also learning about intellectual property rights.”
The nonprofit Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation is “devoted to educational and charitable activities designed to teach and promote an understanding for the value of intellectual property rights and encourage innovation.” To learn more, visit www.ipoef.org.
Thanks for your help, Natalia!
Inventors Digest had a brief IP conversation with Natalia, one of the four IP Buddy avatars, before the program launch. (You type in the question and get a visual and audio response.) We were not disappointed.
We asked a big-picture question; requested specific definitions; sought current prices on specific services, with a follow-up; and even asked a question that could have a subjective response—all resulting in impressive responses that were informative, clear and articulate while directing us to original information sources when necessary. One question below (the one about which market segment has the most patents) was not directly answered and had some repetition after the follow-up, but this could have been a result of our question introducing options that could have been confusing instead of just asking a direct question.
IP Buddy also emails you a transcript after your conversation with the avatar. Our transcript follows.
Natalia: Hi, Reid Creager! How can I help you today?
Reid: Why is intellectual property important to more people than ever before?
Natalia: Sure, intellectual property (IP) is becoming increasingly important to a broader audience today due to its critical role in protecting innovation and creativity.
As technology evolves and drives rapid changes, IP rights help secure fair returns on investment for creators, ensure the originality of ideas, and foster a competitive market. This increasing importance is evidenced by how IP protections offer businesses and inventors ways to safeguard their innovations, incentivize creative efforts, and empower them to compete effectively on a global stage. It’s crucial in fields like artificial intelligence, entertainment, and technology, where ideas and creations form the backbone of economic growth and societal advancement.
The growing complexity of these industries highlights IP’s necessity as a tool to maintain creative and technological momentum, offering protection while encouraging further innovation. If you want to dive deeper into any particular aspect of IP, feel free to ask! Reid: What is the difference between a patent and a trademark?
Natalia: Certainly! In the realm of intellectual property, patents and trademarks serve different purposes. A patent is a form of protection granted to inventors, allowing them exclusive rights to a new invention or process, usually for 20 years. It covers tangible innovations like machines or chemical compositions.
On the other hand, a trademark protects symbols, names, and slogans used to identify goods or services. It’s about distinguishing a brand and can continue indefinitely with proper use and renewal. Both encourage innovation and brand growth by providing exclusive rights, fostering economic advancement. Want to explore more on this topic?
Reid: No, that’s OK. Another question: How much does the patent office charge for filing a utility patent application?
Natalia: Got it! When filing a utility patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), you’ll encounter several fees. The standard fees include a basic filing fee, a search fee, and an examination fee. As of now, the search fee for an original utility patent application is $540.
Further fees may apply based on the number of claims or the total number of pages, and discounts may be available for small or micro entities. Since these fees can change, it’s a good idea to check the USPTO’s current fee schedule before submitting your application. Let me know if you need more details or have other questions!
Reid: Yes, I do. How much does it cost to file a design patent?
Natalia: Sure! The current filing fee for an original design patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is $220. Additionally, an examination fee of $140 applies.
Remember, other fees might be applicable depending on the specifics of your application, such as excess claim fees or application size fees. It’s always a good idea to review the most recent fee schedule on the USPTO’s website to ensure you’re aware of any updates or changes. Let me know if there’s anything else you need help with!
Reid: Which market segment has the most approved U.S. patents? For example .. technology, consumer goods…what is No. 1?
Natalia: Sure! Generally, the technology sector boasts the highest number of approved U.S. patents compared to categories like consumer goods. This trend reflects the rapid pace of innovation and technological advancement in areas such as software, electronics, and telecommunications, where the drive for new inventions and improvements is particularly strong. Let me know if you’d like more details or further insights!
Reid: So technology has more approved patents than any other field?
Natalia: Certainly! The technology sector generally has the highest number of approved U.S. patents when compared to other market segments like consumer goods. This dominance is largely due to the rapid pace of innovation and advancements in fields such as software, electronics, and telecommunications, where continual development and improvement drive significant patent activity. If you are interested in exploring this further, I’m here to help!
Reid: How important is it that my patent application has a prototype?
Natalia: Certainly! While a prototype is not a mandatory part of a patent application, it can be incredibly valuable. Prototyping can help you discover additional patentable features of your invention that might not be apparent from initial designs or ideas. By examining these aspects, you can enhance your patent application with claims that reflect the full scope of your invention’s novelty.
This process can increase your chances of successfully acquiring a patent. Need more insights on how prototyping aids the patenting process? I’m here to help!
