AI Patent Applications Surge Since 2013
A recent report by the United Nations World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) highlights that patent filings related to artificial intelligence (AI) have seen a dramatic rise in recent years, with over 50% of all AI patents ever recorded submitted since 2013.
The study indicates that the United States and China are at the forefront of global efforts to secure dominance in AI technologies. IBM leads with the largest number of AI-related patents—8,920—followed by Microsoft with 5,930. Other major contributors include several Japanese tech companies.
China’s Academic Institutions Shine in Deep Learning
China dominates in academia, with 17 of the top 20 universities and research institutions filing AI patents. The country is also recognized for its leadership in the field of deep learning—a subset of machine learning that powers technologies such as voice recognition.
“Clearly, the US and China are leading the way. They have the highest volume of patent filings and scientific literature in this field,” said WIPO Director-General Francis Gurry at a press briefing.
Tensions Rise Over Tech and Trade Between US and China
These findings emerge amid escalating tensions between the two economic powers. Former US President Donald Trump accused China of misappropriating American technological advances and responded by imposing tariffs on $234 billion worth of Chinese imports.
In response, China strongly rejected what it called “baseless” allegations from the US and its allies, who had accused Beijing of industrial espionage and theft of intellectual property and trade secrets.
