TLDR: A recent report by IFI Claims reveals that Google has taken the lead in generative artificial intelligence (AI) and agentic AI patent filings, surpassing long-standing innovators like IBM and Microsoft. This surge in patent activity underscores the rapid advancements and intense competition in the AI landscape, with significant contributions also coming from Chinese institutions.
Mountain View, CA – A new report from IFI Claims, a prominent U.S.-headquartered database management company, indicates that Google has solidified its position as the leading innovator in the burgeoning fields of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and agentic AI. The data, covering a 14-month period from February 2024 through April 2025, shows Google surpassing traditional tech giants such as IBM and Microsoft in patent filings.
Globally, Google has filed an impressive 1,837 AI-related patents, outstripping Samsung (1,706) and Huawei (1,399). The company’s global AI patent portfolio is reportedly 50% larger than Microsoft’s and nearly double that of IBM. Within the United States, Google also leads in overall AI patents with 880 applications, followed by Microsoft with 701 and IBM with 684.
Focusing specifically on generative AI, Google maintains its global leadership in patent applications. However, the landscape is highly competitive, with Chinese companies and universities collectively securing six of the top ten global positions. Microsoft ranks third in this category, with Nvidia and IBM also featuring among the global leaders. In the U.S., Google and Microsoft are at the forefront of generative AI patent applications, having overtaken IBM’s previous lead. Other significant players in the U.S. top 10 for generative AI filings include Nvidia, Capital One, Samsung, Adobe, Intel, and Qualcomm.
The report also highlights Google’s dominance in the emerging area of agentic AI. In the U.S. rankings for agentic AI patents, Google and Nvidia lead the list, closely followed by IBM, Intel, and Microsoft. On the international stage, Google and Nvidia also hold the top spots for agentic AI-related patents, though three Chinese universities have made it into the global top 10, signaling China’s growing challenge to U.S. technological supremacy.
The surge in AI innovation is evident in the patent filing statistics. U.S. patent applications related to generative AI have seen a remarkable 56% increase over the past year, reaching a total of 51,487. Concurrently, the number of granted patents in this domain has risen by 32%. Generative AI now accounts for 17% of all U.S. AI patent applications, while agent-based AI constitutes 7%.
Also Read:
- AI Chatbots Redefine Information Access, Challenging Traditional Search Dominance
- AI’s Rapid Evolution: From Healthcare to Commerce, Global Impact Unfolds
Notably, some major AI players like Meta and OpenAI are absent from the top patent rankings. Meta has prioritized contributions to open-source AI, while OpenAI, despite recently intensifying its patent activity, primarily emphasizes a defensive approach to its filings. This robust patent activity across the board underscores the active research and development efforts driving new technologies and intensifying the global competition in the artificial intelligence sector.
