Andrei Iancu

Senior Adviser (Non-resident), Renewing American Innovation
Andrei Iancu

Andrei Iancu is senior adviser of the Renewing American Innovation (RAI) at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Previously, he was under secretary of commerce for intellectual property and director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, a position to which he was confirmed unanimously by the Senate. In this role, Mr. Iancu led an agency with approximately 13,000 employees and an annual budget of over $3.5 billion. He was also the principal adviser in the administration on domestic and international intellectual property (IP) policy matters. Currently, Mr. Iancu is a partner at Sullivan & Cromwell. Before that, he was a partner at Irell & Manella LLP, where he worked prior to government service. Mr. Iancu has also taught patent law at the UCLA School of Law. Earlier in his career, he was an engineer at Hughes Aircraft Company. Mr. Iancu is a sought-after speaker and has had hundreds of engagements on IP and innovation policy issues. One of his speeches received the 2020 Cicero Speechwriting Award in two separate categories: public policy and technology. Mr. Iancu has also written on a variety of IP issues. The Journal of the Patent and Trademark Office Society recognized one of his articles as "the greatest contribution to the fields of patents, trademarks and copyrights" in the publication year. Recently, and among many other recognitions, he received the IP Champion Award from the Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation for “his extraordinary leadership in advocating for the value of intellectual property to stimulate the progress of innovation.”

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LeadershIP 2025

Scholars, policymakers, and industry experts discuss cutting-edge policy issues at the intersection of innovation, intellectual property, and national security.

Event — April 1, 2025

Protecting Intellectual Property for National Security

In the face of growing international competition and rapid technological disruption, IP policy is not just a legal matter—it is a strategic priority.

Report by Kirti Gupta, Andrei Iancu, Walter G. Copan, and Chris Borges — March 25, 2025

Protecting Intellectual Property for National Security

Please join CSIS on Tuesday, December 3rd at 3:30pm for a discussion with Rep. Nathaniel Moran (R-TX) to examine the role of intellectual property (IP) in innovation and geopolitical competition.

Event — December 3, 2024

The AI Policy Podcast

Understanding What Intellectual Property Regulation Means For AI with Andrei Iancu

In this episode, we are joined by Andrei Iancu, former Undersecretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and former Director of the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), to discuss whether AI-generated works can be copyrighted, what the latest USPTO guidance means for the patent subject matter eligibility of AI systems, who can claim inventorship for AI-facilitated inventions and the use of AI by patent and trademark applicants and the USPTO.

Podcast Episode by Gregory C. Allen and Andrei Iancu — August 5, 2024

Photo: CSIS

When AI Helps Generate Inventions, Who Is the Inventor?

AI advancements will contribute more and more significantly to the invention processes, blurring the lines of inventive contribution and raising the question of whether AI should be considered a joint or perhaps even sole inventor.

Commentary by Andrei Iancu and Rama Elluru — February 22, 2024

Incentivizing Innovation for National Security

Please join CSIS for a conversation with Rep. Deborah Ross (D-NC) on the role of intellectual property (IP) in innovation and geopolitical competition. The event will be moderated by Andrei Iancu, CSIS Senior Adviser and former Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Event — December 4, 2023

Noncompete Agreements, Innovation, and National Security

The scope of a proposed Federal Trade Commission ban on noncompete agreements—particularly as it impacts high-technology industries—threatens the broader U.S. innovation system and its related competitive and national security advantages.

Commentary by Kirti Gupta, Andrei Iancu, and Chris Borges — June 7, 2023