AI and the end of innovation bottlenecks
There’s a widespread belief that AI is here to replace people, kill creativity, and remove the need for human expertise. It simply isn’t true. AI doesn’t sideline talent. It enables humans to practice judgement and execute strategy.
For tech founders and innovators building the future, the risk isn’t that AI will take over. The risk is that someone else will benefit from AI before you. In today’s market, those who hesitate will lose momentum and relevance.
The moment I realized AI was the fix, not the problem
I’ve spent the last 20 years working with IP and innovations. First as a software engineer, then as a patent attorney. I saw how frustrating the patent system was for innovators: too slow, too expensive, and full of friction.
While still practicing as an attorney, I started using machine learning to improve the patent process. Then came GPT-3 and everything changed quickly. What once took hours now happened instantly. That moment showed me what AI could really do.
This wasn’t the moment I started to fear AI. It was the moment I realised we could finally fix the legacy patent system. That was the beginning of Lightbringer.
The patent process is stuck in the past
Traditional patent services are still built around hourly billing that creates legal bottlenecks. Founders wait weeks for a draft, months for progress, and years for a patent to be granted. All while trying to grow and protect their business.
Before Lightbringer, I spent most of my time manually extracting context from inventors just to put it back into legal language. It was exhausting for everyone involved. And it wasn’t just inefficient, it was costing startups time and money when they needed it most.
AI isn’t replacing experts. It’s removing friction.
At Lightbringer, we rebuilt the experience from the ground up. We can onboard innovators in minutes. They describe their invention on our platform, and our Attorneys draft their applications in days, not weeks. Human experts still review, guide, and tailor the final application, but they no longer spend half their time on admin and offline processes.
Lightbringer is not about replacing patent attorneys. It’s about letting them do what they’re best at.
Don’t fear technology. Fear the delay.
I don’t fear AI. I fear great inventions that go unprotected because the system made it too difficult or too slow.
Founders who adopt early will move faster and protect smarter. Those who wait may never catch up.
Author
Dominic Davies
Dominic Davies
Dominic is CEO of Lightbringer with over two decades of experience and 200+ patents written, evolving from software developer to patent attorney in the UK and Europe. Dominic co-founded Lightbringer eight years after co-founding Invent Horizon IP, an IP services firm heavily leveraging software and automation.
With a background in Information Systems Engineering, he combines technical expertise with entrepreneurial vision. With a deep understanding of the challenges faced by tech companies in protecting their IP, Dominic now focuses on automating IP services globally.
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Kir Nuthi
Kir Nuthi
Kir Nuthi is the Head of AI and Data at techUK.
She holds over seven years of Government Affairs and Tech Policy experience in the US and UK. Kir previously headed up the regulatory portfolio at a UK advocacy group for tech startups and held various public affairs in US tech policy. All involved policy research and campaigns on competition, artificial intelligence, access to data, and pro-innovation regulation.
Kir has an MSc in International Public Policy from University College London and a BA in both Political Science (International Relations) and Economics from the University of California San Diego.
Outside of techUK, you are likely to find her attempting studies at art galleries, attempting an elusive headstand at yoga, mending and binding books, or chasing her dog Maya around South London's many parks.
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Usman Ikhlaq
Usman Ikhlaq
Usman joined techUK in January 2024 as Programme Manager for Artificial Intelligence.
He leads techUK’s AI Adoption programme, supporting members of all sizes and sectors in adopting AI at scale. His work involves identifying barriers to adoption, exploring solutions, and helping to unlock AI’s transformative potential, particularly its benefits for people, the economy, society, and the planet. He is also committed to advancing the UK’s AI sector and ensuring the UK remains a global leader in AI by working closely with techUK members, the UK Government, regulators, and devolved and local authorities.
Since joining techUK, Usman has delivered a regular drumbeat of activity to engage members and advance techUK's AI programme. This has included two campaign weeks, the creation of the AI Adoption Hub (now the AI Hub), the AI Leader's Event Series, the Putting AI into Action webinar series and the Industrial AI sprint campaign.
Before joining techUK, Usman worked as a policy, regulatory and government/public affairs professional in the advertising sector. He has also worked in sales, marketing, and FinTech.
Usman holds an MSc from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), a GDL and LLB from BPP Law School, and a BA from Queen Mary University of London.
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Sue Daley OBE
Sue Daley OBE
Sue leads techUK's Technology and Innovation work.
This includes work programmes on cloud, data protection, data analytics, AI, digital ethics, Digital Identity and Internet of Things as well as emerging and transformative technologies and innovation policy.
In 2025, Sue was honoured with an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to the Technology Industry in the New Year Honours List.
She has been recognised as one of the most influential people in UK tech by Computer Weekly's UKtech50 Longlist and in 2021 was inducted into the Computer Weekly Most Influential Women in UK Tech Hall of Fame.
A key influencer in driving forward the data agenda in the UK, Sue was co-chair of the UK government's National Data Strategy Forum until July 2024. As well as being recognised in the UK's Big Data 100 and the Global Top 100 Data Visionaries for 2020 Sue has also been shortlisted for the Milton Keynes Women Leaders Awards and was a judge for the Loebner Prize in AI. In addition to being a regular industry speaker on issues including AI ethics, data protection and cyber security, Sue was recently a judge for the UK Tech 50 and is a regular judge of the annual UK Cloud Awards.
Prior to joining techUK in January 2015 Sue was responsible for Symantec's Government Relations in the UK and Ireland. She has spoken at events including the UK-China Internet Forum in Beijing, UN IGF and European RSA on issues ranging from data usage and privacy, cloud computing and online child safety. Before joining Symantec, Sue was senior policy advisor at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). Sue has an BA degree on History and American Studies from Leeds University and a Masters Degree on International Relations and Diplomacy from the University of Birmingham. Sue is a keen sportswoman and in 2016 achieved a lifelong ambition to swim the English Channel.
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Authors
Dominic Davies
Dominic is CEO of Lightbringer with over two decades of experience and 200+ patents written, evolving from software developer to patent attorney in the UK and Europe. Dominic co-founded Lightbringer eight years after co-founding Invent Horizon IP, an IP services firm heavily leveraging software and automation.