China Leads the Global Race in Generative AI Patents, with Tencent and Baidu at the Forefront

China has taken a commanding lead in the global race for generative artificial intelligence patents, filing over 38,000 patents from 2014 to 2023, according to a new report from the United Nations World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). This figure is six times higher than the number of patents filed by U.S.-based inventors.

Generative AI, which includes technologies that can create text, images, music, audio, and videos, accounts for 6% of the total AI patents worldwide. China’s patent activity in this field outpaces that of the U.S. (6,276 patents), the Republic of Korea (4,155), Japan (3,409), and India (1,350).

The surge in patent filings reflects significant technological advancements and the growing potential of generative AI. China’s tech giants, including Tencent and Baidu, have been instrumental in this growth, developing large language models (LLMs) to compete with U.S. counterparts like OpenAI, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon.

Following the global success of ChatGPT in November 2022, Chinese companies such as Alibaba and Baidu have launched their own LLMs. To bolster its position in the tech race, China introduced a three-year “action plan” in May to enhance standards in AI chips and generative AI, as well as to expand national computing power. This plan aims to drive technological and economic development, leveraging China’s vast market for consumers and industry partners to innovate and apply generative AI technologies across various sectors.