Transition Document for the United States Patent and Trademark Office
Summary
This transition document provides over 25 actionable recommendations on the future of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), in order to support future federal leadership and enable their success. The document is the result of collaboration between the Day One Project and a group of veteran policymakers who convened virtually to produce recommendations related to the following three categories:
- Identifying specific policy and governance ideas that can be pursued in the first days and months of the next administration.
- Gathering “lessons learned” from those who have previously served in government to learn from past challenges and better inform future initiatives.
- Understanding key science and technology staffing and “talent” needs, and related challenges for the USPTO that can be addressed in the next administration.
The document also includes a cover memo which highlights some of the overarching key considerations for the future of the USPTO.
Contributors
- Margo A. Bagley
- Sharon Barner
- Brian Cassidy
- Colleen V. Chien
- Mark Allen Cohen
- Ayala Deutsch
- Ben Haber
- Philip G. Hampton
- Justin Hughes
- David J. Kappos
- Quentin Palfrey
- Arti K. Rai
- Teresa Stanek Rea
- Robert L. Stoll
- A. Christal Sheppard
- Saurabh Vishnubhakat
- Stephen Yelderman
These ideas aim to advance the detailed policy solutions needed to foster public trust and implement fairness in the adoption of AI across diverse domains, from healthcare and government benefits to rural access, education, and worker protections.
The evidence is clear: algorithmic pay-setting is established in app-based work, and payroll/timekeeping failures show how software can produce systemic wage harm at scale
While a few states have taken steps to implement decision-making mechanisms for certain AI systems, too many leaders are simply accepting narratives about AI’s purported public benefit at face value – jumping to the “how” of AI implementation before thoroughly vetting potential systems and deciding whether they are appropriate to use at all.
When properly structured — with specific numeric targets, secured financial obligations, independent monitoring, and meaningful enforcement — CBAs transform data center deals into durable community partnerships.