AI Robot Market Rapidly Growing... LG Electronics Leads the World with Most Patent Applications

The number of patent applications related to artificial intelligence robots filed in major countries around the world has increased by an average of 58.5% annually over the past decade. This is interpreted as a result of the rapid expansion of the AI robot market due to the convergence of artificial intelligence technology and robotics technology. In fact, the global market for AI robots is predicted to grow from 10.9 trillion KRW in 2023 to 147.8 trillion KRW by 2032.

Along with market growth, the entry of global big tech companies and competition for patents are intensifying. Amid this, South Korea has maintained a top position in the global ranking of AI robot patent applications.

Patent Application Trends by Applicant Nationality. Provided by the Korean Intellectual Property Office.

According to the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) on the 5th, a total of 5,525 AI robot-related patent applications were filed between 2012 and 2021 at the major patent offices of the world’s leading countries (Korea, the United States, China, Japan, and the European Union, hereinafter IP5).

The number of applications by year surged as follows: ▲2012: 20 ▲2013: 21 ▲2014: 43 ▲2015: 78 ▲2016: 144 ▲2017: 393 ▲2018: 670 ▲2019: 1,630 ▲2020: 1,266 ▲2021: 1,260. The average annual growth rate during this period reached 58.5%.

Examining the nationality of applicants, China accounted for the largest share with 3,313 applications (60%), followed by South Korea with 1,367 (24.7%) and the United States with 446 (8.1%). China also recorded the highest average annual growth rate at 59.7%, with South Korea second at 53.4%, and the United States third at 46.1%.

Regarding the technological classification of AI robot patent applications filed at IP5, it was analyzed that AI technologies rooted in applied fields such as education and healthcare accounted for the majority.

By technology classification, applied field control technology accounted for 53.6% (2,962 applications), external environment interaction technology enabling robots to recognize and manipulate objects accounted for 33.8% (1,869 applications), and drive control technology that controls robot movement through learning accounted for 12.6% (694 applications).

Among major applicants, LG Electronics’ strong performance stood out. LG Electronics accounted for 18.8% (1,038 applications) of the total AI robot patent applications filed at IP5, making it the largest applicant worldwide in this field. Following LG Electronics were Japan’s FANUC (1.8%, 97 applications) and China’s South China Normal University (1.5%, 83 applications).

LG Electronics appears to have actively secured rights domestically and internationally by integrating AI technologies for object and voice recognition in cleaning robots, service robots, and logistics robots.

Shin Cha-seong, team leader at LG Electronics’ Intellectual Property Center, said, “LG Electronics began full-scale research and development (R&D) in robotics and AI new business areas from 2017 to gain an advantage. We take pride in having filed numerous related patents during our efforts to secure patent priority and build a portfolio.”

Lee Sun-woo, head of the Intelligent Robot Examination Division at KIPO, diagnosed, “Patent applications in the AI robot field are rapidly increasing worldwide.”

He added, “Currently, China, which holds the leading position, mostly limits its applications domestically, and major global companies like Tesla have relatively fewer patent applications. Considering this, if South Korea focuses on developing external environment interaction technology and drive control technology while actively securing patent rights, it is expected to be able to take the lead in AI robot patents.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.