Author: Chen Lin Partner, Senior Patent Agent
On November 12, 2020, the National Intellectual Property Operation Public Service Platform and China Academy of Information and Communications Technology jointly released the "China Patent Quality Research Report on Artificial Intelligence". The patent application status can truly reflect the current situation and development of the technology from the side. China's application for artificial intelligence patents has surpassed the United States, becoming the country with the highest number of patent applications in the field of artificial intelligence. It can be seen that China has made world-renowned development and achievements in artificial intelligence.
However, the report also points out that while the number of patent applications in China's artificial intelligence field is growing rapidly, there are still problems such as a lack of innovative output and a low degree of foreign patent layout.
First, let's understand what is artificial intelligence.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology is the study of theories, methods, techniques, and application systems used to simulate, extend, and expand human intelligence. It is also a branch of computer technology that attempts to understand the essence of intelligence and produce a new kind of intelligent machine that can respond in a manner similar to humans.
AI-related technologies can be divided into AI core technologies and AI-related technologies.
The international classification of the technical field in the patent application of AI core technology is G06N, which is centered on deep learning and includes various machine learning technologies and information processing technologies. AI-related technology refers to the technology that applies AI core technology, including image processing, audio processing, natural language processing, machine control, medical diagnosis, robot systems, and other technologies in various fields.
In terms of the number of patent applications, Japan is a true great power. According to the World Intellectual Property Indicators 2010, published by the World Intellectual Property Organization, China's number of invention patent applications first exceeded Japan's in 2010, with an annual application of more than 300,000. Japan's patent application volume in the field of artificial intelligence is currently the third in the world, following the United States.
This paper mainly relies on the latest survey report on "AI and related invention patent applications" published by the Intellectual Property Office of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan in 2020 to understand the patent application situation of artificial intelligence technology in Japan.
1. Japan's AI technology patent application situation
Japan's AI technology patent applications
The number of AI technology patent applications relative to the total number of Japanese invention patent applications is currently less than one percent.
It can be seen from the figure below: in the 1990s, there was a second period of rapid growth, and the third period of rapid growth started in 2014, with a more obvious increase in quantity. In 2018, the number of AI-related invention patent applications was about 4,700, an increase of 54% over the previous year, and the number of applications related to AI core technology was about 1,500, an increase of 65% over the previous year. In recent years, the high growth rate has attracted people's close attention.
The figure below shows the trend of the number of AI invention patents authorized in Japan over the years. The number of AI invention patents authorized has gradually increased since 2004, and in recent years, the authorization rate has remained around 80%.
AI trend
The technology related to deep learning has seen rapid growth since 2014, and in 2018, more than half of the total number of AI-related inventions filed in Japan involved deep learning technology related to machinery. This indicates that the main aspect of AI technology in Japan is deep learning technology related to machinery.
Application technology fields of AI technology
As for the application technology field of AI technology, the more prominent ones involve image processing, information retrieval, business models, medical diagnosis and other technologies.
In recent years, especially in the fields of control, robotics system, and medical diagnosis, the application has increased rapidly.
The application situation of related enterprises of AI technology
The enterprises applying for AI-related patents in Japan are basically Japanese domestic enterprises, in addition to American companies such as Qualcomm, IBM, Google, and South Korean companies such as Samsung. It can also be seen from this that China, which has the world's first place in AI application, has not yet seen Chinese enterprises applying for patents in the Japanese market.
Second, the world's AI technology patent application situation
Below, we look at the patent applications related to core AI technology in the five countries (China, Japan, South Korea, the United States, and Europe).
From the chart below, it can be seen that the number of patent applications for AI core technology in the five groups has shown an upward trend, among which the increase in the number of applications in China and the United States is more obvious. After 2017, the number of applications in China involving AI core technology has exceeded that in the United States, becoming the country with the most applications in the world.
The chart of the changes in the core AI technology of the fifth bureau from 2012 to 2017
In addition, the number of invention patent applications involving neural networks (Neural Networks) in the core technology of AI is shown in the figure below. For AI applications involving deep learning, the number of applications in various countries has been increasing year by year, among which the proportion in the United States and Japan is relatively high.
The chart of the change of the invention technology of the neural network technology of the fifth bureau from 2012 to 2017
Based on the latest survey report on "AI and Related Inventions Patent Applications" published by the Intellectual Property Office of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan in 2020, we can understand the development of AI technology in China, the United States, South Korea, Japan, and Europe.
You can see an increasing trend year by year in all countries, especially in China and the United States.
China's application volume has already topped the world, but Chinese enterprises still have problems such as a low degree of patent layout abroad.
Japan, as a developed country in technology, has a late start but slow development in the development and application of artificial intelligence technology, which is also an important opportunity for Chinese enterprises to establish a foothold in Japan.