Generative AI Patent Filings Reach New Heights, with China Leading the Way
On July 3, 2024, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) released its report on patent filings in the field of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI).
Key Findings
- Between 2014 and 2023, 54,358 GenAI-related patent applications were published worldwide, with 48,398 considered active as of last year.
- China dominates the landscape, accounting for 70.3% of patent applications (38,210), followed by the United States (6,276), South Korea (4,155), Japan (3,409), India (1,350), the United Kingdom (714), and Germany (708).
- India boasts the fastest growth rate, with a mean annual growth rate of 56%, although its global share remains modest.
Top Patent Holders
- Among the top 10 patent holders, six are Chinese, including Tencent Holdings (2,074 patents), Ping An Insurance Group (1,564 patents), and Baidu (1,234 patents).
- Three American companies and one Korean company also feature in the top 10: IBM, Samsung Electronics, Alphabet, and Microsoft.
Sector Breakdown
- GenAI patents cover a broad range of sectors, including:
- Software (29,892 inventions)
- Life sciences (5,346)
- Document management and editing (4,976)
- Enterprise solutions, industry, and manufacturing (2,522)
- Transportation (2,267)
- Security (2,226)
- Telecommunications (2,194)
Scientific Publications
- China leads in scientific publications, with 12,453 research papers published between 2010 and 2023, closely followed by the United States (12,036).
- However, American research papers receive significantly more citations, with 169,693 citations compared to 100,310 for Chinese research.
Impact on Employment
- According to a Goldman Sachs study, GenAI is expected to significantly disrupt the job market, with around 300 million workers in major economies facing some degree of automation.
- While many professions will benefit from GenAI tools that augment their work and enhance their capabilities, others risk becoming obsolete.
- Targeted support will be necessary to help workers transition to new opportunities and reskill for emerging roles.
The Tunisian Context
- Are we aware of this in Tunisia? Few are, and it will be essential to consider the intellectual rigidity of Tunisians, particularly those who have spent several years in a stable job. They will struggle to adapt to the need to convert or change their professional path. This is the challenge of the coming years.
