AI investments fuelling global patent growth: UN

The number of international patents filed last year for digital communications technology and semiconductors grew strongly, reflecting the surge in artificial intelligence investments, the United Nations said on Friday (6 March).

Across the board, international patent applications rose 0.7% in 2025 to 275,900 filings worldwide, the World Intellectual Property Organization, the UN agency dealing with patenting and innovation, said in an annual overview.

WIPO chief economist Carsten Fink said that underneath that modest growth, innovation activity was strong in digital technologies.

Digital communication, the top category among international patent filings, grew by 6% last year, as did applications for semiconductor patents.

They recorded the fastest growth rates among the top 10 major technology fields in 2025, Fink told a press conference.

"This pattern clearly reflects the continuing importance of digital technologies as a driver of innovation worldwide," he said.

"It also likely reflects the surge of investments in artificial intelligence, which is increasing demand for advanced computer infrastructure and chips."

China pulling clear of US

China filed the most international patent applications last year with 73,718, up 5.3%.

The United States submitted 52,617 -- down 3%, and its fourth consecutive year of decline.

They were followed by Japan with 47,922, South Korea with 25,016 and Germany with 16,441.

Chinese tech giant Huawei has been the top filer since 2017 and stayed there last year with 7,523 patent applications, ahead of South Korean rival Samsung (4,698), US firm Qualcomm (3,227) and South Korea's LG Electronics (2,400).

Overall, 16 of the top 20 applicants were in the information and communications technology sector.

"International patent filings -- particularly in digital communication and semiconductor technologies -- reflect how digital technologies continue to drive the global innovation landscape," WIPO chief Daren Tang said in the report.

"AI is the latest engine of this growth and will increasingly transform how we innovate."

Among the top 100 patent-filing companies, 32 are from Japan, 24 from China and 17 from the United States.

L'Oreal leading trademarks

The total number of international trademark applications dropped by 1.5% to 64,150 in 2025.

The largest number came from the United States (10,997), followed by Germany (6,106), China (5,636), France (4,026) and Britain (3,871).

Among companies, French cosmetics giant L'Oreal stayed on top for the fifth consecutive year, with 274 applications. US gambling products firm Light and Wonder surged to come second with 105 applications.

As for applications for international protection of industrial designs, the number swelled by 9.4%, concerning 28,588 designs.

The biggest category was for recording and communications equipment.

China led in the number of designs filed with 5,911, followed by Germany (4,530), the United States (3,882), Switzerland (2,285) and Italy (2,015).

WIPO said there were substantial increases from the top two filers -- Huawei and Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software -- and from US tech giant Apple.

Procter and Gamble, Dutch electronics and medical device manufacturer Philips, and Samsung Electronics rounded out the top five.