AI development
March 18, 2024
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The analysis by the German Patent and Trademark Office shows that although Germany is making gains in AI research and development, it is still behind the USA.
Photo: PantherMedia / Gorodenkoff
Research and development activities in the field of artificial intelligence have been increased by industry and science in Germany, but they have lagged significantly behind the USA. This is shown by an analysis by the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA). According to the analysis, the number of published AI-related patent applications at the German and European Patent Offices increased by 40 percent last year compared to 2019, as the Munich Federal Office announced on Monday.
AI will play a major role in many areas of life in the future
Companies and research institutions from the USA dominated, registering almost a third of the new AI-related technology developments. Germany came in second with a share of 17.1 percent, followed by Japan with 12.4 percent. China and South Korea ranked fourth and fifth with shares of 10.1 percent and 4.7 percent, respectively. The number of Chinese developments rose the fastest, with a 15 percent increase in 2023 compared to 2022. German filings saw a 5.2 percent increase over the same period. “The strong and broad innovation dynamic makes it clear that AI will play a major role in many areas of life in the future,” commented DPMA President Eva Schewior.
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Since companies usually file patents for new inventions mainly in their own countries, German patent statistics usually give preference to local companies.
German companies in the AI patent landscape
However, in the area of AI-related technologies, a different picture emerges: Although the German company Bosch took first place, it was followed by the Chinese company Huawei, the US companies Google and Microsoft, and Samsung from South Korea.
Schewior said that German companies would have a comparatively good position in their home market based on patent applications. She combined this with an appeal to business and science to continue to make every effort to be among the most innovative countries in this key future technology, given the immense dynamism in other parts of the world.
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Patents are registered according to an internationally uniform patent classification standard. Since there are no specific patent classes for artificial intelligence, the DPMA experts analyzed the classes from the areas in which AI is used. These include, among other things, computer, medical and vehicle technology, robotics as well as speech and image analysis. The evaluation took into account patent applications that have a connection to Germany and were filed with the German or the European Patent Office, which is also located in Munich. Double registrations with both authorities were eliminated. (dpa/ili)