AIPLA Submits Comments to the USPTO on 2026 Supplemental GUI Guidance

Arlington, VA. May 12, 2026 – The American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) submitted comments to the USPTO on its Supplemental Guidance for Examination of Design Patent Applications Related to Computer-Generated Interfaces and Icons, issued on March 13, 2026. The guidance removes the outdated requirement to depict computer-generated interfaces and icons in the context of a physical display panel where the title and claim properly identify an article of manufacture, expands claim and title language flexibility, and, importantly, recognizes projected, holographic, virtual, and augmented‑reality interface designs as eligible subject matter for U.S. design patents.

AIPLA commends the USPTO for responding to stakeholder input, modernizing U.S. design patent practice to keep pace with rapidly evolving technologies, and aligning U.S. practice more closely with international design protection trends.