To give AI-focused women academics and others their well-deserved and overdue time in the spotlight, TechCrunch is launching a series of interviews focusing on remarkable women who’ve contributed to the AI revolution. Kathi Vidal is an American intellectual property lawyer and former engineer who serves as Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Vidal began her career as an engineer for General Electric and Lockheed Martin, working in the areas of AI, software engineering and circuitry.