Nvidia is going for quality not quantity with AI chip patents
Patent analysis shows how world leader in microchips has risen to the top in a constrained global market
Monday 23 September 2024
A new analysis of semiconductor patents released today by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services helps to explain why the recently embattled Nvidia is a world leader in AI microchips, despite only appearing 9th on the list of top companies for the number of AI chip patents.
Key points:
- The analysis by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services – a Digital Science company and the patent industry’s most trusted data provider – shows that the Top 5 companies in the US for the number of AI chip patents are: IBM, Samsung, Intel, Google and Microsoft, with IBM way out in front.
- However, while Nvidia is currently 9th among the Top 10 in the US for the number of AI chip patents, Nvidia has high-value patents in this technology, emphasizing quality over quantity.
- Nvidia is number 1 for “forward citations” in AI chip patents, meaning the number of times its patents are cited by other patent applicants as being critical to their work. Among Nvidia’s high-value patents are those on safety systems for autonomous vehicles, and training and testing autonomous machines, both of which are highly cited by other patents.
- IFI CLAIMS has found that Nvidia is active in areas such as deep learning, image data generation, video and pattern recognition, and control units.
- IFI’s report says: “All of these innovations are less about the hardware of semiconductors… and more about the software side of the technology that goes into the design of the company’s graphical processing units (GPUs) and associated software (CUDA). Both are key components for developers to advance their AI, which is why Nvidia’s offerings are so indispensable right now.”
- Ron Kratz, CEO of IFI CLAIMS, says: “Patents hold important clues that can help investors decide whether or not a company deserves a place in the investment portfolio. Our analysis shows that some companies’ patent portfolios – such as in this case, Nvidia – need to be judged from several angles, leading to deeper insights.”
- Additional observation from the report: With seemingly every company racing to adopt ChatGPT-like generative AI models, the sophistication involved with manufacturing the necessary chips should give rise to more patents being granted in the future.
See the full analysis at the IFI CLAIMS website: https://www.ificlaims.com/news/view/semiconductors.htm
About IFI CLAIMS Patent Services
IFI CLAIMS Patent Services uses a proprietary data architecture to produce the industry’s most accurate patent database. The CLAIMS Direct platform allows for the easy integration of applications, other data sets, and analysis software. Headquartered in New Haven, Conn., with a satellite office in Barcelona, Spain, IFI CLAIMS is part of Digital Science, a digital research technology company based in London. For more information, visit www.ificlaims.com and follow IFI on LinkedIn.
About Digital Science
Digital Science is an AI-focused technology company providing innovative solutions to complex challenges faced by researchers, universities, funders, industry and publishers. We work in partnership to advance global research for the benefit of society. Through our brands – Altmetric, Dimensions, Figshare, IFI CLAIMS Patent Services, metaphacts, OntoChem, Overleaf, ReadCube, Scismic, Symplectic, and Writefull – we believe when we solve problems together, we drive progress for all. Visit digital-science.com and follow @digitalsci on X or on LinkedIn.
Media Contacts
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