George Koomullil is the founder and CEO of Relecura. MaxVal’s in-house solutions consultant, Ganesh Venkatraman, sat down with George for a conversation on patents, analytics and generative AI, among other things. Below is an excerpt from the interview where George shares his thoughts on the current solutions in the market and the future of AI-enabled IP and R&D intelligence.
How did you get into the patent world?
My journey into patents began with my keen interest in research and development. In 2005, the SVP of HR at IPValue reached out to me regarding a position in IP evaluation. Although the business aspect of commercializing IP initially didn’t interest me, I was invited to visit their office. I was impressed by the exceptional depth and experience of the team and immediately knew I wanted to be a part of the group, in spite of having limited knowledge on IP. It was this meeting that marked my entry into the world of patents and intellectual property.
What aspects of IP spark your excitement?
The volume of knowledge embedded within IP and its potential to generate value is truly astonishing. IP unveils new insights as you delve deeper into it and its value changes as you learn more about it. This is an exciting time for anyone working in IP, as developments in AI are casting new light on the nuances of IP, unveiling complexities and opportunities like never before.
What are some of the typical challenges faced by IP and R&D teams when it comes to patent information?
The challenges primarily stem from two directions: the first is to understand the intellectual property associated with a patent, and the second is to extract value from it. The intricacy of understanding IP is not merely due to the nuances of an invention or the way it is written in a patent document, but due to the fact that the boundaries of the IP is in comparison with all related IP. This makes it difficult for a researcher or IP analyst to identify the boundaries of an invention, for an IP attorney to protect the broadest scope of an invention without infringing on adjacent IP, and for an IP licensing professional in assessing and showcasing its value. Given these complexities, leveraging AI tools like Relecura and IP management systems such as Symphony can help one navigate the innovation process.
What inspired you to create Relecura?
My fascination with diverse technologies and experience across various technical fields laid the foundation. Embarking on a new technology always began with curiosity, eventually leading to a moment where I connected the new with what I had already known. This realization became particularly evident while evaluating IP – understanding a new invention mirrors this learning curve, starting as a novice and evolving into an expert as you integrate it with your existing knowledge. My ambition was to expedite this ‘connection’ process, enabling effortless comprehension of technical concepts for anyone. I leveraged existing algorithms in natural language processing (NLP), machine learning, and artificial intelligence to realize this vision.
How is Relecura leveraging AI today?
We started with extracting and connecting different ideas and concepts from patents and later expanded to automated rule-based classifiers, supervised ML classifiers, and automated novelty search. The recent advances in large language models and generative AI significantly accelerated our extraction and automation processes and the depth of insights Relecura can provide. Beyond traditional AI classifiers that rely on training documents, we now employ generative AI classifiers. We have advanced from merely identifying relevant documents in automated prior-art searches to explaining the reasons behind their relevance. Moreover, we offer insights for the identified patents, including potential applications and products each invention may lead to.
What are the areas in which you think Generative AI can become invaluable for IP and innovation intelligence?
Generative AI has ushered in a new era for those in the knowledge industry, particularly within the IP and R&D sectors. It offers a competitive edge to those who leverage its capabilities. Generative AI serves multifaceted roles: for inventors, it acts as a polymath colleague, aiding in brainstorming sessions and synthesizing ideas; for IP analysts, it offers deep analyses of complex inventions and draws connections to related works; for IP attorneys, it provides assistance in drafting applications and analyzing office actions; and for IP licensing professionals, it identifies potential leads, gathers evidence of use, and assists in crafting persuasive pitches. Generative AI can also be embraced as a valuable training ground, preparing us to effectively work with more advanced systems in the future. With its potential to render IP a more liquid asset and to drive value creation, generative AI is poised to revolutionize the fields of IP and R&D in the coming years.
What are some of the challenges and concerns raised about generative AI and patents?
Generative AI has impressive capabilities in aggregating relevant information, ideas, and multimodal content across a broad spectrum of fields. However, its outputs should be viewed as preliminary drafts, subject to errors that may need refinement by skilled users to achieve high-quality results. It’s best approached as a productivity enhancer rather than a panacea for all challenges. As with any emerging technology, there’s a risk of misuse by certain individuals or entities, but such issues are typically addressed over time. Caution is advisable when sharing sensitive information or data.
How do you leverage customer feedback?
We place great importance on listening to our customers and understanding their challenges, which shapes the development of our products and solutions. For complex issues, we create proofs of concept using the latest technologies. When we find solutions that benefit multiple customers, we incorporate them into our platform for broader access. We realize that users have limited time, so we curate information to be more easily consumable and relevant to their needs.
Which sport – Cricket, Football or Soccer is your favorite?
It’s certainly soccer! Growing up in Kerala, India, soccer was a part of my daily routine until I started college. I fondly remember kicking around a ball with my friends on our 4-mile journey to school. Once home, we’d eagerly head to the field for even more playtime. Those days were truly special. The World Cup has been my favorite sporting event for as long as I can remember.
