IP-Intensive Industry Fuels Third of Jobs, Patent Office Reports

Industries that rely the most on intellectual property directly account for 33% of all U.S. employment, according to a report released Thursday by the Patent and Trademark Office.

IP-intensive industries directly supported 47 million jobs, and indirectly, through the supply of goods and services, an additional 11% of all jobs, according to the findings. The 33% direct employment share remained stable between 2014 and 2019, according to the report.

PTO chief economist Andrew A. Toole and co-authors examined industries that are intensive users of IP protections—patents, trademarks, and copyrights—and measured how these industries contribute to economic output and employment.
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