The technology industry continues to be a hotbed of innovation, with activity driven by demand for automation, digital transformation and improved efficiency, and growing importance of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), generative design, natural language processing, machine learning, and simulation and optimisation. The use of these technologies allows enterprises to automate repetitive tasks and digitally transform their operations to achieve greater efficiency. In the last three years alone, there have been over 3.6 million patents filed and granted in the technology industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Innovation in Artificial Intelligence: AI-assisted CAD. Buy the report here.
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However, not all innovations are equal and nor do they follow a constant upward trend. Instead, their evolution takes the form of an S-shaped curve that reflects their typical lifecycle from early emergence to accelerating adoption, before finally stabilising and reaching maturity.
Identifying where a particular innovation is on this journey, especially those that are in the emerging and accelerating stages, is essential for understanding their current level of adoption and the likely future trajectory and impact they will have.
300+ innovations will shape the technology industry
According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which plots the S-curve for the technology industry using innovation intensity models built on over 2.5 million patents, there are 300+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Within the emerging innovation stage, finite element simulation, ML-enabled blockchain networks, and generative adversarial network are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Demand forecasting application, intelligent embedded systems and deep reinforcement learning are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are wearable physiological monitors, smart lighting, and smart climate control systems, which are now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for artificial intelligence in the technology industry
AI-assisted CAD is a key innovation area in artificial intelligence
AI-assisted computer-aided design (CAD) software incorporates artificial intelligence (AI) to automate various design processes, including the creation of intricate 3D models, by offering a more streamlined and user-friendly interface that allows designers to create and modify designs with ease. By utilising AI, CAD systems can generate designs at a faster pace than conventional methods, such as manual modelling of components or the creation of assemblies.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 900+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established technology companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of AI-assisted CAD.
Key players in AI-assisted CAD – a disruptive innovation in the technology industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of different applications identified for each relevant patent and broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of different countries each relevant patent is registered in and reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to AI-assisted CAD
| Company | Total patents (2010 - 2022) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| State Grid | 1887 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Halliburton | 1877 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Siemens | 1083 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Schlumberger | 850 | Unlock Company Profile |
| International Business Machines (IBM) | 793 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Furukawa | 689 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Southern Power Grid | 662 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China National Petroleum | 573 | Unlock Company Profile |
| General Electric | 504 | Unlock Company Profile |
| ASML | 421 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Heartflow | 419 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hitachi | 409 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Boeing | 402 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Dassault Systemes | 401 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Petrochemical | 367 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Exxon Mobil | 300 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China General Nuclear Power | 283 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Saudi Arabian Oil | 270 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing | 263 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Samsung Group | 246 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Synopsys | 242 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Mitsubishi Electric | 229 | Unlock Company Profile |
| MathWorks | 221 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Schneider Electric | 219 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Ford Motor | 218 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hewlett Packard Enterprise | 213 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Airbus | 209 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Toshiba | 199 | Unlock Company Profile |
| NEC | 198 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Fanuc | 196 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Baker Hughes | 196 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Robert Bosch Stiftung | 190 | Unlock Company Profile |
| General Motors | 186 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Microsoft | 181 | Unlock Company Profile |
| State Grid Information and Telecommunication | 177 | Unlock Company Profile |
| JFE | 177 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Chevron U. S. A. | 173 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Toyota Motor | 165 | Unlock Company Profile |
| State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council | 161 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Intel | 161 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Honeywell International | 157 | Unlock Company Profile |
| IFP Energies nouvelles | 157 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Procter & Gamble | 157 | Unlock Company Profile |
| ANSYS | 153 | Unlock Company Profile |
| TotalEnergies | 151 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China National Offshore Oil | 149 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Baidu | 147 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Autodesk | 145 | Unlock Company Profile |
| CRRC Group | 140 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Emerson Electric | 140 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Among the companies innovating in AI-assisted CAD, State Grid Corporation of China is the leading patent filer. The company’s patents are aimed at describing a testing method for wind power plant parameters. The method involves conducting several tests under specific conditions, recording the plant's running curves for each test, and using the data to analyse the plant's stability and production.
Other prominent patent filers in the AI-assisted CAD space include Halliburton and Siemens.
By geographic reach, Arrow Electronics leads the pack, followed by Maasland and ULVAC. In terms of application diversity, Vektor Medical holds the top position, followed by EBM and Daicel.
AI-assisted computer-aided design (CAD) is becoming increasingly significant in the field of engineering and design. By incorporating AI algorithms, CAD software can perform tasks that were previously done manually, allowing designers to save time and improve accuracy.
To further understand how artificial intelligence is disrupting the technology industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Artificial Intelligence (AI) – Thematic Intelligence.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
