By Kate Yuan

China’s tech giant Baidu applied for 16,754 AI patents and licensed 5,705 in 2022, both ranking first in the country for five consecutive years, according to the Analysis on China Artificial Intelligence Patent Technology 2022 released in December 2022 by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

The report showed that Baidu’s patent quality (patents with high value and innovation driving force) score was 92.21 in 2022, leading the country again.

In addition, Baidu topped the number of patent authorizations and value in three major AI technology categories including basic algorithms, general technologies, and intelligent applications, according to the Analysis on High-value Patents in Artificial Intelligence from the Patent Protection Association of China (PPAC).

Baidu has won 13 domestic AI patent awards so far, including one gold and six silver awards, ranking first in the cumulative number of high-level awards in the AI field.

In terms of autonomous driving, Baidu led the world with 1,193 high-level autonomous driving patent families, said Questel, a world-leading provider of intellectual property solutions, in its "Report on Autonomous Driving and Smart Transportation: 2022 Patent Landscape". Baidu's overall patent value was also ahead of other innovation entities with the largest number of influential patents.