Patents from Big 5 tech companies on the rise since 2011

According to a report by research firm CB Insights, the Big 5 Tech companies (Google, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Microsoft) have applied for over 52,000 patents since 2009 and their total number of granted patents has risen solidly since 2011.

Other findings: Microsoft and Google have filed the most patents overall, Microsoft is betting big on AI (with over 200 AI-related patent applications since 2009), and Amazon seems to be moving away from consumer electronics (like Kindles and tablets) and focusing on more drones and cybersecurity instead.

“This relentless acceleration in patenting reflects a significant IP land grab underway in rapidly expanding sectors including AI, robotics and others—not to mention dramatically faster patent growth in China,” says TurboPatent COO Byron McCann. “This is a clear message to technology companies to make sure they are not left behind in protecting their critical IP to support their market objectives.”

Get the full report at CB Insights. [FREE]