Patent applications are four times longer than they used to be just because word processors make it so easy to copy-paste filler text.
SSRN · March 17, 2026 · 6409979
The Takeaway
By analyzing 7.6 million applications, the researcher found that the massive growth in patent word counts isn't driven by complex new laws or court cases. Instead, it is a supply-side phenomenon where modern drafting tools encourage bloat that adds no extra informational or legal value.
From the abstract
<span>Patent specifications have nearly quadrupled in length over the past four decades, rising from approximately 3,500 words in the early 1980s to over 13,000 words by 2025, while claim counts peaked around 2005 and have since declined. This Article presents an empirical study of all 7.6 million published utility patent applications from 2005 through early 2025, examining the drivers of specification growth. The analysis distinguishes demand-side explanations (such as doctrinal developments in