According to a new report published by the United Nations, China is currently the leader in generative AI patents. Generative AI, considered one of today’s most critical technologies, sees almost every tech company striving to be involved in some capacity. Companies from the US and China, in particular, are at the forefront of this field. But who is leading in patents? The United Nations report indicates that China is currently at the helm in the generative AI patent race.
China’s Patent Achievements
The report reveals that Chinese tech companies filed over 38,000 generative AI-focused patent applications between 2014 and 2023, solidifying China’s leadership in this domain. Leading the charge in patents are Chinese giants Tencent and Baidu. During the same period, the US filed 6,276, South Korea 4,155, Japan 3,409, and India 1,350 patent applications. The patents held by Chinese companies could pose significant challenges for their competitors in the coming years.
Generative AI and the Global Race
Tech giant Apple recently entered the generative AI arena, introducing its Apple Intelligence infrastructure at WWDC24. With this move, Apple has secured its place in the generative AI race. The company stated: “Apple is bringing Apple Intelligence, a personal smart technology system that combines the power of generative models with personal context to offer incredibly useful and unique smart technologies, to iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Apple Intelligence is fully integrated into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. Apple Intelligence leverages the power of Apple chips to understand and generate language and visuals, perform actions in apps, and make daily tasks easier based on personal context.”
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Apple’s AI Steps
Apple’s Private Cloud Compute allows it to flexibly scale computing capacity between on-device processing and server-based larger models running on private Apple chip servers, setting a new standard for privacy in AI. Apple CEO Tim Cook commented
“We’re excited to take this next step in Apple’s innovation. Apple Intelligence will completely change what our users can do with our products and what our products can do for our users. Our unique approach brings together generative AI with the user’s personal context to offer truly helpful smart technologies. And we do this with complete privacy and security, helping users achieve what matters most to them. This is AI only Apple can deliver. We can’t wait for our users to see what this technology can do.”
Future Expectations
China’s leadership in generative AI patents signifies that it will be at the forefront of technological advancements in this area. The dominance of Chinese companies in this field provides a substantial advantage in the global technology race. China’s lead in this sector will likely push other countries and companies to be more innovative and competitive.
