U.S., China Dominate Quantum Computing Patents - Businesskorea

Korean Applications Account for Less Than 3%, Highlighting a Need for Strategic Growth Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon (right) visits IBM Watson Research Center, a global quantum computing company, in New York on Sept. 23 (local time). (Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Science and ICT) As quantum computing emerges as next-generation information technology (IT), statistics have been released showing that a duopoly between the United States and China has been established in related patent competition. While the U.S. has secured the patent market and China is rapidly catching up, Korea’s share of quantum computing patents was found to be less than 3%.

The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) announced on Dec. 21 the analysis of quantum computing-related patent applications from major countries worldwide over a 10-year period from 2014 to 2023. Global quantum computing patent applications totaled 9,162 cases. Among these, U.S. patent applications accounted for the largest share with 4,187 cases (45.7%). Chinese patent applications ranked second with 2,279 cases (24.9%). China’s patent applications are growing at an average rate of 2.2 times annually, showing the fastest growth rate globally.Discover moreCarDigital MammographyGV80vehiclesAutomotiveGenesis SUVGenesis GV70AutomobilesSmartphonesBMW In contrast, Korea’s patent applications over the 10-year period totaled 248 cases (2.7%), ranking sixth behind Europe with 1,127 cases (12.3%), Japan with 656 cases (7.2%), and Canada with 277 cases (3.0%). Korea’s patent applications increased by an annual average of 58.5%, showing the third-highest growth rate after China and Israel. The duopoly between the U.S. and China was also prominent in the status of major applicants. The applicant with the most quantum computing patents was IBM, which filed 1,120 cases over the 10-year period. Google ranked second with 680 applications. Among other U.S. companies, Microsoft (MS) and IonQ were included in the top 10 quantum computing applicants. Among Chinese companies, Origin Quantum recorded third place by filing 605 patents. Baidu and Tencent also ranked fifth and seventh respectively in patent applications. These Chinese companies are doubling their patent applications annually. No Korean companies made it into the top 10 patent applicants. KIPO noted the steady increase in quantum computing commercial technology patent applications recently and evaluated that quantum computing technology has entered the early stages of industrialization. Jung Jae-hwan, director of KIPO's Intellectual Property Information Bureau, emphasized that “for domestic companies to secure leadership in the early expansion stage of the quantum industry, a strategic approach linking research and development with patent acquisition is important.” Jasmine Choi pr@businesskorea.co.kr View More Article Copyright © BusinessKorea. Prohibited from unauthorized reproduction and redistribution Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.