Thousands of artificial intelligence patents have been granted worldwide over the past decade with little clarity as to their meaning, value or validity when tested – but that won’t stop them from coming.
AI patents’ questionable status under current U.S. patent law has not prevented most of the leading technology companies from filing and receiving them is significant numbers.
Particularly surprising are some of the less obvious aggressive filers that have appeared in the top 100 and even the top 10, and those filers who have trimmed their activity, in some cases dramatically, possibly due to aggressive earlier filing.
One expects to see the Magnificent Seven on the AI patent leaders list (Alphabet, Apple, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, Tesla), as well as perineal U.S. patent holder Samsung, but in the top ten are also two financial institutions, Capital One, at number six for 2024 and Bank of America. Automakers Toyota and General Motors (up 45% year over year) are also among the leaders which other automakers are much further down the list.
Technology products manufacturer Dell is among the top 20 AI patent recipients. Its focus today is primarily computers, servers, storage and software.
Surprisingly, Tesla was nowhere to be found among the top 100, possibly due to using another entity that may hold its patents or simply the company and its CEO not believing it requires AI patents to operate effectively.
2023 overall leader IBM with 1,392 grants was down 36% in 2024. The biggest gainer year-over-year in the top 20: China’s Tencent, up 67%. It’s fascinating to peruse Harrity LLP’s top 100 for trends and stand outs. I strongly recommend it.
What should be no surprise is the rate of failure to obtain AI patents as a result of USPTO rule 102 (prior art) and 103 (patentability) rejections (see illustration). It makes sense that most of the leading AI grant recipients were also among those receiving the most rejections. It would be interesting to zero in on what basis the grants and rejections have been made.
Leading class for receiving AI patents: Machine Learning, followed by Learning Methods and Using Neural Networks.
Leading categories for AI patent grants
“The 2025 AI Patent 100 Report” from the law firm Harrity LLP is part of its terrific series of patent and other IP data. It’s well organized and clearly conveyed.
Number of patents blocked by 103 (patentability)
This report highlights the top 100 companies that obtained AI-related patents in the U.S. in 2024 and provides an in-depth landscape of the leading AI patent portfolios shaping the industry.
Among top AI inventors, Capital One had an amazing seven in the top 19. Samsung had six in the top 25.
Leading AI inventors and their affiliation
Image source: harrityllp.com
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