AI Accelerator Patent Landscape 2026
AI Accelerator Patent Landscape in 2026
The AI accelerator patent field is in an active growth phase, with 11,608 patent families on record and a 35% increase over the recent window. Samsung Electronics holds a commanding lead, and the top five filers collectively account for 64% of the hundred largest filers’ combined output, signaling a highly concentrated competitive field dominated by a small number of hardware and semiconductor incumbents.
Samsung leads a tightly concentrated field; Qualcomm closes fast
Samsung Electronics is the clear frontrunner with 3,115 patent families, more than 1.6 times the output of second-ranked Qualcomm (1,938 patent families). These two players alone define the upper tier and set the pace for the entire landscape.
The top five filers — Samsung, Qualcomm, Huawei, Intel, and DeepX — account for 64% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, a concentration level that leaves limited room for mid-tier players to challenge on volume alone. A pronounced tier gap separates the top two from the rest: third-ranked Huawei holds 469 patent families, less than a quarter of Qualcomm’s position.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | 3,115 | |
| 2 | Qualcomm Incorporated | 1,938 | |
| 3 | Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. | 469 | |
| 4 | Intel Corporation | 345 | |
| 5 | DeepX Co., Ltd. | 279 | |
| 6 | ARM Ltd. | 204 | |
| 7 | Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC | 166 | |
| 8 | VIA Alliance Semiconductor Co., Ltd. | 160 | |
| 9 | D5AI LLC | 157 | |
| 10 | Digital Global Systems Inc. | 144 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | SAS Institute Inc. | 137 | |
| 12 | Huawei Cloud Computing Technologies Co., Ltd. | 121 | |
| 13 | SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY R&DB FOUNDATION | 104 | |
| 14 | Qualcomm Technologies Inc. | 84 | |
| 15 | NVIDIA Corporation | 80 | |
| 16 | Micron Technology Inc. | 79 | |
| 17 | KunlunXin Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd. | 77 | |
| 18 | Baidu USA LLC | 75 | |
| 19 | Siemens AG | 74 | |
| 20 | Rebellions Inc. | 66 |
Samsung’s scale implies deep defensive coverage across core AI model computing and digital data processing; Qualcomm’s rapid momentum (up 119% in the recent window) suggests it is actively closing the gap and may be repositioning for next-generation inference hardware. Entrants outside the top five face a structurally difficult landscape unless they target under-served application branches.
Filings from 2025 and 2026 are understated due to standard patent publication lag and should not be read as a slowdown; the multi-year trend remains upward. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Rapid multi-year growth; AI model computing dominates the technology mix
The filing trend and technology composition charts together reveal a field that has scaled dramatically since 2017 and remains anchored in core AI model computing, with a long tail of application-domain branches that are comparatively sparse.
Annual filing trend
Annual filings grew sharply from 118 in 2017 to a recorded high of 1,977 in 2024, reflecting the field’s growth-stage trajectory. The apparent dip in 2025 and 2026 is an artifact of publication lag and does not represent a real decline; those years remain open for additional publications.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
G06N (Computing based on AI models) dominates with 11,396 records, followed by G06F (Electric digital data processing) at 4,878. Beyond these two pillars, the branch mix fragments rapidly: image processing (G06T, G06V), digital communications (H04L, H04W), and data recognition (G06K) each hold a fraction of the core, while semiconductor device branches (G11C, H01L) and application domains such as healthcare (A61B, G16H) and autonomous vehicles (B60W) remain sparsely populated relative to the total.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaHighly cited patent families surfaced by the query
Citation-heavy patent families returned by the query. Use this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents.
Neural processing unit for performing RMS norm ope…
A neural processing unit for performing inference operations of a large-scale language model based on an artificial neural network is disclosed. The neural processing unit according to the present disclosure includes a processing element core configured to perform an attention mechanism-based operation based on input data in vector format to output an… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technologies for distributing iterative computatio… | 363 |
| 2 | Technologies for distributing gradient descent com… | 332 |
| 3 | System, method, and apparatus for providing dynami… | 298 |
| 4 | Multi-cloud service mesh orchestration platform | 272 |
| 5 | Fixed point neural network based on floating point… | 260 |
| 6 | Adaptive selection of artificial neural networks | 251 |
| 7 | Bit width selection for fixed point neural networks | 249 |
| 8 | Method and apparatus for automated design of compl… | 241 |
Ranked by total forward citations. Citation counts favour older and broadly cited patent families, and broad or adjacent patents may appear when they match the search scope. Treat this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents. Some patent titles may be shown in their original, non-English language where an accurate translation could not be guaranteed.
What the structural evidence means for R&D investment decisions
Four dimensions — maturity, concentration, collaboration, and geography — shape the strategic context for any organization deciding where to deploy IP resources in AI accelerator technology.
Growth stage: annual volume still expanding
The lifecycle evidence classifies this field as Growth, with annual filings still rising and the most recent years understated by publication lag. The 35% growth recorded over the recent window confirms this is not a mature, harvesting-phase field. Early-mover advantages in core architecture claims are narrowing, but application-specific accelerator sub-fields remain open.
Growth stageTop-two dominance with a sharp tier drop-off
Samsung and Qualcomm together hold a structurally superior position; the gap to third-ranked Huawei (469 patent families) is substantial. The top five’s 64% share of the hundred largest filers’ combined output means that mid-tier players — from Intel and DeepX downward — must differentiate by application domain or architecture niche rather than competing on raw volume. New entrants such as DeepX (279 families, 6.3× momentum) and Microsoft (4.1× momentum) suggest the challenger tier is active.
High concentrationSamsung anchors an academic co-filing network; ARM co-files with one partner
Samsung Electronics is the most active co-filer, with 94 joint filings alongside Seoul National University R&DB Foundation, 35 with Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 18 each with Sungkyunkwan University and Yonsei University, and additional collaborations with UNIST, POSTECH, and ETH Zurich. ARM co-files with one undisclosed partner across 16 filings. No other applicant shows comparable collaboration breadth, making Samsung’s university network a distinct moat for foundational research-to-patent conversion.
University-anchoredUS-dominant filing jurisdiction; Europe and PCT active; China growing
The United States is the lead filing jurisdiction with 5,000 records, followed by Europe (EPO) at 1,845 and WIPO (PCT) at 1,596 — together indicating that major filers are pursuing broad international protection. China holds 1,101 records and India 1,001, reflecting the strategic importance of both markets. Taiwan (222) and South Korea (132) round out the primary hardware manufacturing geographies. Applicants seeking freedom-to-operate must map coverage across all five of these primary jurisdictions.
US-led, global reachGo beyond the landscape: Eureka’s TRIZ Solution agent breaks down an R&D problem and returns patented concept solutions, each with a technical approach and cited patent & literature evidence.
| Applicant | Collaborator | Co-filings |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Seoul National University R&DB Foundation | 94 |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) | 35 |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Sungkyunkwan University | 18 |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Yonsei University | 18 |
| ARM Ltd. | Apex Corporation | 16 |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Naver Corporation | 12 |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) | 10 |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology) | 10 |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | University of Zurich | 8 |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Samsung Research China – Beijing | 7 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Samsung defends a large lead; Qualcomm accelerates sharply
The two top-ranked applicants differ meaningfully in trajectory: Samsung holds a broad, stable position while Qualcomm is expanding at more than twice Samsung’s recent growth rate, narrowing the gap from below.
Samsung Electronics
Samsung leads with 3,115 patent families, concentrated heavily in G06N3 (AI model computing, 2,481 filings) and G06N20 (machine learning, 748 filings), with a secondary position in G06F3 (digital data processing, 284 filings). Recent-period filings reached 1,505 with a 21% upward trend, indicating steady expansion rather than a defensive harvesting posture. The depth of its academic co-filing network with Korean and Swiss universities reinforces its foundational research pipeline.
families: 3,115Qualcomm
Qualcomm holds 1,938 patent families and posted a 119% increase in the recent window — the strongest momentum among the top-tier applicants — making it the most aggressive challenger in the landscape. Its focus mirrors Samsung’s in G06N3 (1,716 filings) and G06N20 (366 filings), with a meaningful secondary position in G06V10 (image and video recognition, 124 filings) that points to inference-at-the-edge and on-device AI use cases. At this pace, Qualcomm’s absolute volume is converging toward Samsung’s.
families: 1,938| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | 1,505 | ▲ +21% |
| Qualcomm Incorporated | 987 | ▲ +119% |
| Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. | 177 | ▬ -1% |
| Intel Corporation | 121 | ▼ -18% |
| DeepX Co., Ltd. | 190 | ▲ 6.3× vs prior 3-yr |
| ARM Ltd. | 80 | ▼ -21% |
| Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC | 110 | ▲ 4.1× vs prior 3-yr |
| D5AI LLC | 46 | ▼ -22% |
Under-served adjacent branches worth monitoring
Several IPC branches adjacent to the dominant G06N core show meaningful activity in absolute terms but represent a small share of the overall corpus — a pattern that may indicate either early-stage build-out or structural under-investment relative to technical potential.
G06T · Image data processing and generation
G06T accounts for 1,426 records, roughly 6% of the corpus — a relatively sparse position given that on-device image processing is a primary workload for AI accelerator silicon. Dedicated accelerator architectures for real-time image synthesis, super-resolution, and generative model inference remain comparatively under-covered. An entrant with existing computer vision IP could extend into accelerator-specific claim structures targeting these workloads, particularly for edge and mobile deployment contexts.
Search this in Eureka →H04L · Digital information transmission
H04L holds 985 records (approximately 4% of the corpus), covering AI-accelerated networking and inference over distributed or disaggregated systems — an area of growing relevance as data center architectures shift toward scale-out AI inference fabrics and AI-native network processing units. The relative sparsity suggests that the intersection of accelerator hardware and high-speed digital transmission protocols is not yet heavily contested and may offer defensible claim space for applicants addressing interconnect-layer acceleration.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ by technology route
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | G06N 3 · Computing based on AI models | G06N 20 · Computing based on AI models | G06F 9 · Electric digital data processing | G06V 10 · Image/video recognition | G06F 15 · Electric digital data processing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Strong · 2,481 | Moderate · 748 | Emerging · 222 | Emerging · 229 | Emerging · 128 |
| Qualcomm Incorporated | Strong · 1,716 | Moderate · 366 | Emerging · 67 | Emerging · 124 | Emerging · 52 |
| Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. | Strong · 317 | Moderate · 70 | Emerging · 35 | Emerging · 27 | Emerging · 36 |
| Intel Corporation | Strong · 253 | Moderate · 61 | Moderate · 84 | Emerging · 22 | Emerging · 38 |
| DeepX Co., Ltd. | Strong · 262 | Absent | Absent | Emerging · 19 | Emerging · 28 |
| Digital Global Systems Inc. | Strong · 140 | Strong · 144 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| VIA Alliance Semiconductor Co., Ltd. (Shanghai Zhaoxin) | Strong · 158 | Absent | Moderate · 62 | Absent | Emerging · 20 |
Frequently asked questions
The analysis covers 11,608 patent families globally. This total spans all major filing jurisdictions and reflects activity across the full technology scope of AI accelerator hardware and software.
Samsung Electronics holds the top position with 3,115 patent families, well ahead of second-ranked Qualcomm (1,938 patent families). The gap to third-ranked Huawei Technologies (469 patent families) is substantial.
The United States is the lead filing jurisdiction with 5,000 records. Europe (EPO) follows at 1,845 and WIPO (PCT) at 1,596, indicating that major filers are actively pursuing multi-jurisdiction protection.
The field is classified as Growth. Annual filings have risen sharply since 2017, reaching a recorded level of 1,977 in 2024. The apparent reduction in 2025 and 2026 figures reflects publication lag, not a real slowdown.
Qualcomm shows the strongest momentum among the top tier at 119% growth in the recent window. DeepX (6.3× versus the prior three-year period) and Microsoft Technology Licensing (4.1× versus the prior three-year period) are notable accelerators from smaller prior bases.
The most-cited works address distributing iterative and gradient descent computation (363 and 332 citations respectively), dynamic system provisioning, multi-cloud service mesh orchestration, fixed-point and floating-point neural networks, adaptive neural network selection, and automated design of complex systems — collectively reflecting a citation cluster around distributed training and inference efficiency.
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Disclaimer. This page is generated from PatSnap Eureka data drawn from a limited snapshot of global patent and scientific-literature records, and is provided for general information and reference only.
Patent data carries inherent limitations: recent filings (typically the most recent 18–24 months) are under-counted due to standard publication lag; counts may be reported at either a patent-family or a patent-record basis and are not always directly comparable; classification, applicant-name, and citation data may contain errors, duplicates, or omissions; and the underlying search query defines and constrains the scope shown. As a result, the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
Nothing on this page constitutes an exhaustive prior-art, novelty, freedom-to-operate, or validity search, nor does it constitute legal, financial, investment, or professional advice, and it should not be relied upon as such. Any patent, commercial, or strategic decision should be verified independently and reviewed with qualified patent, legal, and domain professionals. PatSnap makes no warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose of the information presented.