Dec 12 (NHK) - A new report shows Japanese companies are second in the world in patent applications for AI and other industrial technology.
The report by the European Patent Office is based on 2018 figures. It shows US firms topped the list, seeking 11,927 global patent families in AI, big data, the Internet of Things, and 5G.
Japan came second with 6,679. China was third, and South Korea fourth.
Looking at the years spanning 2010 to 2018, five Japanese companies were among the top 20 applicants. Sony ranked fourth.
Six US firms made the list, with chip maker Qualcomm coming in third.
The two most prolific applicants worldwide were South Korean firms -- Samsung Electronics, followed by LG. China's Huawei was fifth.