5G and AI could be the greatest technology buzzwords of this decade. While 5G revolutionizes cell phone network speed with ultra-low latency, AI brings in predictive intelligence to enhance efficiency in desired applications. These technologies provide great benefits and technological growth on their own, and when the two are combined, there are unlimited opportunities in various applications such as vehicular communication, augmented reality, etc.
5G/AI Patents Filed Globally in 2023
Of the 300,000 AI-related patents filed in 2023, approximately 8,500 filings (just under 3%) correspond to wireless communication networks integrated with AI/ML techniques. We did a deep dive into this data to get a few insights.
Our analysis revealed that the top five patent filers are Qualcomm, Ericsson, Huawei, Samsung, and Nokia, the industry leaders in communication technology. These companies also have active and significant contributions to the 3GPP discussions for mobile broadband standards.
Most of the top players are technology companies, but two Chinese universities viz. Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications and Southeast University rank 12 and 20, respectively.
Academic Contributions to AI/5G in 2023
Our findings indicated that China dominates the academic contribution for 5G with AI integration. Only one university from the West (Northeastern University) finds its place in the top 20 filings. The study also revealed that technology giants like Samsung Electronics have affiliations with different universities in Asia for their research in this field.
5G/AI Global Filing Trends, 2019 – 2023
Patent filings containing both 5G and AI technologies peaked in 2021 with a sharp decline in 2023, which saw only about half of 2021’s activity. Some of the decline in 2023 may be attributed to the overall decline in filings for that year.
Top 5G/AI Patent Global Filers, 2019 – 2023
The top 20 filers were mostly dominated by wireless device manufacturers and network service providers. And, notable players like Intel, IBM, Microsoft, Tencent, and Nvidia were seen with the filings for AI-related technologies. We also observed security enforcement technologies filed by Capital One and Advanced New Tech.
Other than these, a few interesting players like Toyota and two Chinese universities were also seen in the top filings. Toyota’s filings were mostly in the automotive sector to augment a vehicular network with predictive intelligence.
Conclusion
Patent filings for 5G/AI peaked in 2021 but dropped by half in 2023, reflecting a broader decline. Top filers from 2019 to 2023 include Qualcomm, Ericsson, Huawei, Samsung, and Nokia, with notable contributions from Intel, IBM, and Toyota in AI and automotive applications. Chinese universities lead academic filings, with only one Western university in the top 20. Collaborations between tech giants like Samsung and Asian universities are also advancing research.
