Patent Eligibility Restoration Act of 2025

The Patent Eligibility Restoration Act of 2025 proposes to change how the U.S. determines whether an invention qualifies for patent protection. Currently, the patent system uses a broad test that can exclude inventions if they fall into certain categories and lack sufficient inventive innovation. This bill would replace that approach with a narrower list of specifically defined ineligible categories.

Under this bill, only certain types of inventions would be considered ineligible for patents: pure mathematical formulas not embedded in a useful process or machine, mental processes performed entirely in the human mind, and unmodified human genes as they naturally exist in the body. For everyday citizens and businesses, this could make it easier to obtain patents for inventions involving software, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and other emerging technologies that might currently face eligibility challenges. The practical effect would be to expand what can be patented, potentially encouraging innovation in these fields while also affecting how companies protect their intellectual property.