Six years. That’s all it took for the global race in artificial intelligence (AI) to shift from quiet research labs to an open arena of geopolitical ambition and nowhere is this more visible than in the patenting battlefield between the United States and China.
This isn’t just a comparison of numbers. It’s a lens into two visions of the future.
Since 2019, China has recorded a meteoric rise in AI patent filings year after year. According to WIPO, it accounts for over 70% of global generative AI patents from 2014 to 2023, a testament to its state-led innovation engine. From speech processing to autonomous vehicles, companies like Huawei, Baidu and Tencent are locking down intellectual territory with aggressive speed.
The United States, on the other hand, is playing a longer game. With fewer patents but significantly more forward citations it remains the gold standard for foundational innovation. US firms like Google, Microsoft and NVIDIA are investing deeper into machine learning infrastructure and generative AI platforms, backed by $67 billion in private AI funding last year alone.
Why compare these two?
Because when China prioritizes scale and the US champions depth, they’re not just building technology. They’re shaping how AI will influence power, policy and progress across the globe. The next five years will determine whose blueprint becomes the default setting for AI in health, energy, education and defense.
This report dives into AI patent activity from 2019 to 2025, decoding trends, spotlighting dominant players and uncovering the distinct innovation cultures behind each superpower.
How many Artificial Intelligence (AI) Patents Were Filed in the USA and China every year?
This chart illustrates the annual AI patent filing trends in China and the United States from 2019 to 2025, with projections into 2026. The data reflects publication years and the forecasted values are based on a multiplicative time series model.
Over just five years, China’s AI patent filings climbed from 59,054 in 2019 to a peak of 188,757 in 2024—more than doubling in volume. This rapid growth is no accident. It reflects deliberate national efforts to dominate the AI frontier fueling a wave of innovation across voice tech, computer vision and automation.
The US followed a different path. Filing numbers held steady, ranging between 31,000 and 35,000 annually. However, this stability masks the depth of innovation behind those numbers. American firms have historically focused on core AI models and platforms, prioritizing quality and long-term relevance over sheer filing volume.
A sudden drop appears in 2025, but it’s not a true decline. Due to the standard 18-month publication lag, many filings from recent years simply haven’t surfaced yet. This is a common pattern in patent data and not a sign of waning activity.
By 2026, projections show both countries back on the rise with China extending its volume lead and the US maintaining its consistency. If trends hold, China may continue to drive the pace, while the US could shape the framework.
Did you know?
China’s dominance in AI patent filings is not just a recent phenomenon. Between 2014 and 2023, China filed over 38,000 generative AI patents, six times more than the United States during the same period. (Source)
While volume tells us who is filing more, it doesn’t tell us which patents are active, enforced or influential. To understand how deeply AI innovation is sustained, let’s now explore the share of active and inactive AI patents in the United States and China.
How many Artificial Intelligence (AI) Patents Are Active/Inactive in the USA and China?
This chart compares the proportion of active and inactive AI patents in China and the United States from 2019 to 2024. Active patents are those currently in force, while inactive patents have lapsed, expired or been withdrawn.
China’s aggressive push into AI has resulted in a vast number of filings with 87% active AI patents. However, a significant portion of these patents are inactive (13%), suggesting challenges in maintaining and commercializing such a large portfolio. Factors contributing to this include a lower grant ratio for AI patents in China, reported at approximately 32% in 2023, compared to higher rates in countries like Japan and Canada.
Conversely, the United States, while trailing in total AI patent filings, boasts a higher proportion of active patents (88%) and slightly lower inactive patents (12%). This indicates a strategic focus on quality over quantity, with US entities prioritizing patents that have enduring value and applicability. Such an approach aligns with the US’s emphasis on foundational AI research and its translation into sustainable technologies.
Did you know?
In 2023, China surged ahead with an astonishing 1.64 million patent applications, making up 47.2% of global filings! However, only 7.3% of these patents were filed internationally. While China dominates in tech innovations, this strategic domestic focus shows its ambition to build an AI powerhouse at home, rather than immediate global expansion. (Source)
Patent portfolios don’t exist in isolation—they’re powered by the innovators behind them. Let’s now look at the companies leading this charge in China and the United States and how their filing behaviors reflect national innovation strategies.
Which Companies Are Leading the AI Patent Race in the United States and China?
These charts display the leading companies filing AI patents in both China and the United States. The companies are ranked on the basis of total number of AI patents, highlighting the dominance of companies in each country.
Key Companies Filing AI Patents in the USA
In the AI patent race, the patterns are clear. IBM, leading in US with 10,092 filings, stands out for its long-term investment in foundational AI technologies like IBM Watson, while Google and Microsoft focus on breakthrough innovations in generative AI and machine learning frameworks.
Samsung, though a South Korean company, ranks second with 6,499 patents in the U.S., highlighting the company’s significant contributions to AI hardware and consumer electronics. In 2022, Samsung was the top recipient of US utility patents, surpassing other tech giants like IBM and Qualcomm.
Japan’s active role in AI patenting within the US reflects its strategic intent to be at the forefront of global AI innovation, ensuring its technologies are integral to the development of next-generation AI applications.
Key Companies Filing AI Patents in the China
On the other hand, China’s tech giants dominate the filing landscape with companies like State Grid Corporation of China, Tencent and Baidu leading the charge. State Grid’s commanding 26,309 filings far exceeds any other company, underscoring the importance of AI in energy infrastructure and national-scale projects.
The difference in filing numbers reflects two distinct strategies: China’s aggressive expansion of AI across industries, particularly in energy, finance and telecommunications, and the US’s strategic focus on core research and advanced applications in enterprise, cloud services and automation.
Did you know?
State Grid Corporation of China was the only Chinese company ranked in the top 20 in artificial intelligence (AI) patent applicants in 2019 globally. (Source)
With the top patent filers in the USA and China identified, let’s now explore the patent filing activity from 2019 to 2025 for these key companies to understand how their innovation efforts have evolved over time.
How has the Patent Filing Activity of Key Companies in AI Evolved along the Years?
These charts illustrate the annual AI patent filing trends from 2019 to 2025 for the leading companies in the United States and China.
Patent Filing Activity of Top AI Companies in the USA
When it comes to AI patent filings, China and the United States show very different trajectories in both volume and pace.
US companies like IBM, Microsoft and Google show a more measured rise in filings. IBM, for instance, filed 2,007 patents in 2019, but by 2023, its filings dipped to 681 patents. This suggests a shift away from volume-based patenting to refining and consolidating their existing AI portfolio, focusing on research-oriented innovations, particularly in AI foundational technologies and cloud-based AI systems. Companies like Google and Microsoft are investing heavily in transformational technologies, such as generative AI models and AI platforms, which often result in fewer, but more impactful patents.
Patent Filing Activity of Top AI Companies in the China
In contrast, China’s dominance in AI patent filings is evident. Companies like State Grid Corporation of China and Tencent have consistently ramped up their patent filings each year, culminating in substantial increases in 2023 and 2024. This sustained increase highlights China’s focused investment in AI, driven by government policies such as the Made in China 2025 initiative, and the Chinese government’s push for AI-driven digital transformation across multiple industries.
Now that we’ve observed the filing trends, it’s time to explore the technology areas these countries are focusing on. We’ll take a closer look at the key technology domains for both US and China, as represented in separate heatmaps.
What Are the Key Technology Areas in Artificial Intelligence Innovation in the USA and China?
These heatmaps showcase the key AI technology areas where companies in the United States and China are filing patents between 2019 and 2025.
Key AI Technology Areas in the USA
When it comes to AI innovation, the U.S. and China have clear differences in their technological focus, as reflected in their patent filings.
In the United States, the overwhelming majority of AI patents focus on General Learning Models (65,078 filings) and Learning Techniques (46,408 filings). This aligns with the US’s strengths in foundational AI research, including machine learning algorithms and deep learning models.
The focus on Neural Network Architectures, Optimization Algorithms and Voice Interaction Systems, supports applications in NLP (Natural Language Processing) and other enterprise-level AI solutions. Companies like IBM, Google and Microsoft are at the forefront, prioritizing high-level AI models for integration into services like cloud computing, virtual assistants and AI-powered analytics.
This was the overview. The real insights begin when we zoom in.
If you’re exploring AI leadership through the US lens—companies, inventors, tech domains—we’ll take you deeper. Fill out the form for a focused, data-backed analysis.
Key AI Technology Areas in the China
In China, the focus shifts slightly toward industrial and practical applications. Learning Techniques again dominate the Chinese portfolio, with an impressive 157,114 filings. However, China also leads in Training Data Generation (74,589 filings) and Powertrain Control Systems (58,519 filings), reflecting its national push for AI integration across sectors like energy, smart manufacturing and infrastructure.
The focus on Vision-Oriented Networks and Smart Manufacturing Systems further signals China’s heavy investments in AI for automation, robotics and industrial IoT applications. Companies like State Grid Corporation of China, Tencent and Baidu are filing in these areas to push forward AI’s role in energy efficiency and smart city development.
The stark difference lies in China’s more application-centric innovations, focused on deploying AI solutions for national growth in infrastructure, while the US prioritizes long-term, foundational AI models designed to create the next-generation software and services.
Now that we understand the technology areas driving innovation in both countries, let’s dive deeper into how companies in the US and China are filing patents across these domains, looking at individual company trends and strategies.
Which Are the Key Technology Areas in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Patents Targeted by Top Companies?
The charts below break down AI patent filings by technology area for the top companies in the United States and China between 2019 and 2025.
Key AI Technology Areas Targeted by Top Companies in the USA and China
In the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, certain technologies have emerged as focal points for innovation across both the United States and China. Leading companies from both nations are actively filing patents in these areas, indicating a shared global interest and strategic alignment.
The convergence of patent filings in these AI domains by leading companies in both the US and China underscores the global nature of AI innovation.
Companies like Google (USA) and Baidu (China) are heavily investing in Voice & Speech Interfaces. Google’s Google Assistant and Baidu’s DuerOS are some of the most advanced AI-driven virtual assistants globally, making the patent filings in this area highly strategic for both companies.
Meanwhile, Microsoft (USA) and Huawei (China) are key players in applying AI to streamline business processes. Microsoft’s AI for Business initiative has been transforming corporate strategies across industries. Huawei’s Cloud AI Services have been integral to improving business operations in telecommunications, manufacturing and logistics, focusing on predictive analytics and automation. These companies filed significant patents in the Smart Business Processes category reflecting their dual focus on AI for efficiency and industry-specific applications.
Key AI Technology Areas Targeted by US Companies
A closer look at company-level AI patent activity reveals distinct national strategies playing out at the organizational level.
In the United States, companies like IBM, Google and Microsoft display strong and relatively balanced investments across foundational AI domains—particularly in Data Processing Systems and Learning Frameworks. IBM alone leads with over 7,200 patents in learning frameworks, highlighting its enduring focus on core machine learning architectures.
Key AI Technology Areas Targeted by Chinese Companies
In contrast, Chinese firms appear far more focused on industry-aligned, application-driven innovation. State Grid Corporation of China, for example, also leads in niche categories like Power Network Optimization (over 4,000 patents) and Smart Business Processes, areas critical to China’s broader digital infrastructure goals. Companies like Tencent and Ping An are also heavily invested in Visual Interpretation Systems along with foundational AI domains, likely linked to China’s advancements in surveillance, fintech and urban computing.
What stands out is China’s dense filing in vertical-specific solutions, particularly in low-emission mobility, green ICT systems and energy optimization. These align with national initiatives like China’s dual carbon goals to peak carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve neutrality by 2060.
This contrast signals two distinct philosophies: the US is optimizing the AI engine, while China is wiring it directly into its real-world infrastructure.
In the next section, we shift focus from corporations to academia—highlighting the leading universities and institutions in China and the United States, whose contributions are quietly shaping the future of intelligent technologies.
Which Key Universities/Institutions Are Leading AI Innovation in the USA and China?
This chart present the top universities and research institutions in China and the United States based on the number of AI-related patent filings from 2019 to 2025.
Chinese universities have made significant strides in AI research and patent filings. Institutions like Tsinghua University and Zhejiang University have emerged as leaders. Tsinghua University, often dubbed the “MIT of China”, has been recognized for its excellence in engineering and computer science, ranking among the top globally in these fields.
Zhejiang University has been instrumental in fostering AI startups and research initiatives. It has produced successful tech ventures like DeepSeek and DEEP Robotics, contributing to China’s AI ecosystem.
In the United States, universities like the University of California, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Purdue University have been at the forefront of AI research and patent filings. The University of California system topped the list of US universities granted utility patents in 2024, with 540 patents, reflecting its robust research output and commitment to innovation.
While universities lay the groundwork for AI advancements, collaborations between academia and industry are crucial for translating research into real-world applications. Next, we explore the partnerships between academic institutions and companies in China and the United States, examining how these collaborations are shaping the future of AI innovation.
Which Companies and Universities Are Driving Patent Partnerships in Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the US and China?
This chart illustrates the collaborative landscape of AI patent filings between academic institutions and companies in the United States and China from 2019 to 2025.
Building upon these collaborative efforts, it’s essential to understand how companies are expanding their AI portfolios. Next, we delve into the analysis of forward citations in AI patents, examining how key companies in China and the U.S. are influencing and building upon existing AI innovations.
Reading Between the Patent Filings
Behind every chart in this report lies a bigger question: what kind of future is each nation trying to build with AI?
China is building an AI ecosystem rooted in national priorities. Its universities are deeply embedded in the innovation pipeline, and companies are filing at scale across sectors like energy, manufacturing and finance. The pace is fast, and the ambition is clear: to embed AI into the backbone of the country’s infrastructure.
The United States is moving differently. Its filings are fewer, but their reach is wider. American patents are more internationally aligned and often foundational. Companies are investing in core technologies that serve as the basis for future breakthroughs, and universities are more tightly linked to commercialization pathways.
Both countries are shaping the future of AI. One through a sweeping expansion of applied technologies, the other through strategic depth and global resonance. The result is not a winner or a loser, but a growing interdependence—two approaches defining what AI becomes for the world.
China’s AI patent footprint is expanding faster than the world can track.
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