China’s research institutes file more AI patents than businesses: report

2018/08/14

Chinese academic institutions are more prolific patent filers in the artificial intelligence (AI) area than domestic companies, according to China’s State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO).

SIPO shared the statement, based on a release from China IP News, on Wednesday, August 1.
The release is based on “China’s AI Development Report 2018”, which was recently published by Tsinghua University, in Beijing.
The university’s report revealed that the most prolific filers in AI tend to come from research institutions, such as universities. Within AI, the patents mostly centre on data processing systems and data information transmissions.
Unlike in other countries, industry players in China file fewer patents in the AI sphere than those in research institutions. The country’s “top IT giants” such as Alibaba and Tencent are “overwhelmed” by the filings of foreign companies, such as IBM and Microsoft, SIPO said.
In 2018, Tsinghua University’s report claimed that the value of China’s AI industry increased by 67% compared to 2016, to reach RMB 23.7 billion ($3.5 billion). The report predicted a market growth of 75% year-on-year in 2018.

Source: WIPR