The document discusses trends in artificial intelligence investment and patent development. Private investment in AI has grown rapidly over the past five years, with key areas being machine learning, natural language processing, and medical technologies. While startups have received most funding, large companies like IBM, Microsoft and Google hold the majority of AI patents. The number of AI patent filings has increased over sevenfold in the past decade. Going forward, the author argues that further innovation will come from combinations of advances across different AI fields, rather than single technologies, creating new opportunities.
8. 8
Source: Thomson Reuters, Quid, iftf
Patent development is taking off
Over 7x growth in IP development from 2004 - 2013
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Previous ten years of patent filings
Machine Learning Patents
9. Source: Thomson Reuters, Quid, iftf
The IP ecosystem is diverse
Machine Learning patents across use cases
Text Classification!
Text Classification 11%
Customer Analytics 11%
Querying Methods 8%
Medical Diagnostics 7%
Data Mining 7%
Cybersecurity 6%
MRI Analysis 6%
Facial Recognition 4%
IP Deconstruction
Social Network !
Analysis!
Natural Language!
Processing!
Video Analysis!
Molecular Analysis! Querying Method!
Querying Method!
Personal Assistant!
Customer Analytics!
Cybersecurity!
Data Protection!
Semiconductors!
Data Mining!
Neural Network!
9
10. 10
Source: Thomson Reuters, Quid, iftf
…But held by only a few players
Intellectual property not predominantly held by start-ups
Microsoft
IBM
Yahoo
Google
Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp
Hewlett-Packard
Behavioral Recognition Systems, Inc.
Qualcomm
Patents held %
140 9%
90 6%
59 4%
49 3%
34 2%
28 2%
24 1.5%
20 1%
14. 14
Source: Thomson Reuters, Quid, iftf
Revisiting our patent analysis
Over 7x growth in IP development from 2004 - 2013
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Previous ten years of patent filings
Machine Learning Patents
15. 15
Source: Thomson Reuters, Quid, iftf
It’s really a much bigger story…
IP development across use cases 2004 - 2013
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Previous ten years of patent filings
Automated Judgement Patents
Machine Learning Patents
16. 16
Source: Thomson Reuters, Quid, iftf
Innovations build on top of each other
IP development across use cases 2004 - 2013
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Previous ten years of patent filings
Computer Vision Patents
Automated Judgement Patents
Machine Learning Patents
17. 17
Source: Thomson Reuters, Quid, iftf
To create a wide range of opportunities
IP development across use cases 2004 - 2013
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Previous ten years of patent filings
Neural Network Patents
Computer Vision Patents
Automated Judgement Patents
Machine Learning Patents
18. 18
Innovations overlap with one another. It won’t just be
advances in a single field that change the world or imp-
act our daily lives. It will be combinations of advances,
across fields, that do. Understanding this, helps put to-
day’s innovations into perspective for tomorrow.