While the Patent Market Index (PMI) recorded a 2.6% decline during the same period, GTT Group attributes this dip to technical data processing issues at the USPTO rather than a cooling of market demand. The firm expects the PLI’s upward trajectory to continue throughout the year as patent holders navigate an increasingly complex landscape of assertion and litigation.

Michael Lubitz, founder of GTT Group, noted that the high level of market activity has forced companies to rethink their defensive strategies. Organizations are now aggressively integrating AI tools to lower the costs associated with patent assertions, a trend that is expected to drive higher operational expenses for firms involved in licensing and enforcement throughout 2026.