The rise of large language models (LLMs), imitation learning, and other AI technologies is driving explosive growth in the AI robotics market.
Over the past 10 years, LG Electronics has filed more patents in this field than any other company, data released on Jan. 5 shows. By country, China leads with nearly three times as many patent filings as South Korea, which ranked second.
The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) analyzed global patent applications for AI-applied robotics submitted between 2012 and 2021 to major patent offices in S. Korea, the United States, China, the European Union, and Japan, collectively known as IP5. The analysis included only patents that had passed their mandatory disclosure period by now to ensure the data was accurate.
Patent filings in the AI robotics field skyrocketed during the period. In 2012, there were only 20 applications, but by 2021, that figure had surged to 1,260. The cumulative total over the decade reached 5,525 applications, with an average annual growth rate of 58.5%.
By country, China dominated the rankings with 3,313 patent applications, accounting for 60% of the global total. S. Korea followed with 1,367 filings (24.7%), while the United States came in third with 446 (8.1%). Japan and Germany rounded out the top five with 235 filings (4.3%) and 74 filings (1.3%), respectively.
LG Electronics led the list of major applicants, filing 1,038 patents, representing 18.8% of the global total. Japan’s FANUC ranked second with 97 filings (1.8%), followed by China’s East China Normal University with 83 filings (1.5%). Samsung Electronics placed eighth, with 41 patents (0.7%).
LG Electronics has actively incorporated AI technologies, such as object and voice recognition, into its lineup of cleaning, service, and logistics robots, seeking to secure intellectual property rights domestically and internationally.
