AI built for the real work of IP

AI emerges as the defining innovation driver at 114% growth in patent filings, reshaping semiconductor R&D investment across every layer of the technology stack

Boston, MA – September 1, 2026 - Anaqua, the leading provider of innovation and intellectual property (IP) management technology and services, today announced key findings from its 2026 Semiconductor Industry Patent Report: AI & Innovation Trends, published earlier today. The report, an analysis of global semiconductor patent activity, reveals a market undergoing structural transformation, driven significantly by the demands of artificial intelligence (AI). While overall semiconductor patenting grew 78% over the last five years, patents at the intersection of AI and semiconductors grew 114%, which is nearly 40 percent faster. AI is not merely influencing semiconductor innovation, it is increasingly defining it at every level of the technology stack – across chip architecture, graphics processing units (GPUs), inference processors and custom accelerators for hyperscalers.

"Semiconductors are the foundation of the technology industry, and their advances unlock entire new categories of innovation," said Toni Njim, chief product officer, Anaqua. "We set out to measure exactly how much artificial intelligence (AI) is driving that foundation forward, and the answer is clear: AI isn't just influencing semiconductor innovation anymore. It's defining it and the scale of that impact is astounding."

Using Anaqua's AcclaimIP patent analytics platform to analyze more than 700,000 semiconductor patent filings, the report shows AI's influence on nearly every layer of chip innovation.

Key Findings from Anaqua’s 2026 Semiconductor Industry Patent Report:

• AI is a disproportionate, structural driver of semiconductor innovation. It’s not just a cyclical bump. AI-and-semiconductor patents grew 114% versus 78% for the broader combined universe. A closer examination of key semiconductor subcategories across the AI landscape makes it even more evident that AI is driving an outsized impact on the chip market. This isn’t a niche trend: AI has become the primary organizing force behind where semiconductor R&D investment and patent filings are being directed.
• NVIDIA’s patent footprint may appear smaller relative to its market dominance because its moat isn’t in hardware. NVIDIA holds just 49 GPU-titled semiconductor patents (ranking #7) and ranks #15 in inference chips. Its durable advantage lies in its CUDA (Compute Unified Device Architecture) software ecosystem, introduced in 2006.
• IBM leads where the science is hardest. IBM tops AI-semiconductor crossover filings (794) and analog AI (389), with a footprint concentrated in frontier technologies. These include quantum computing, neuromorphic chips and phase-change memory that encodes neural-network weights directly onto the chip (claiming roughly 14 times better energy efficiency, now reaching commercial deployment via its Spyre accelerator).
• Qualcomm is quickly pivoting from mobile into the data center. Long anchored in on-device and edge AI, Qualcomm now ranks #9 in inference (655 filings, notably with none granted five years ago) and shows some of the steepest growth in the report, up 186% in AI architecture (252 filings), with a rising GPU position (#4, 134 filings). Its analog work spans neuromorphic mobile circuits and its new AI200/AI250 data-center inference accelerators, which lean on power efficiency and memory capacity as differentiators against competitors.
• Samsung is leveraging its memory position into broad AI-hardware leadership. Samsung leads AI architecture patenting (1,194 filings), leads HBM (107 filings), and ranks second in both inference and analog AI, spanning neural processing units (NPUs), processing-in-memory (PIM), and its Exynos system-on-chip (SoC) line. It’s the clearest case of a memory manufacturer converting that base into end-to-end AI-chip strength.
• China dominates AI inference patenting by a significant margin and is rising fast in GPUs. Chinese government-affiliated entities lead inference and accelerator filings with 5,387 over five years, far ahead of Samsung’s 1,897, spreading across universities, national labs and state research institutes. The same entities rank third in GPU filings, with startups like Moore Threads and Muxi emerging. This can be read as the result of a chip-sovereignty response to U.S. export restrictions.
• Intel is strategically positioned for an AI future. Intel leads GPU semiconductor filings with 188. It ranks second, with 967 filings, in the AI-in-IC (integrated circuits)-architecture space. Intel ranks third with 23 patents that address HBM, and fifth in patents granted (225) at the convergence of AI and analog ICs, ranking 8th in inference semiconductor patents with 792.
• Hyperscalers have become silicon designers. Alphabet/Google’s tensor processing unit (TPU) and Microsoft’s Maia accelerator-related patenting appear across nearly every AI-and-semiconductor patenting intersection. This reflects cloud giants designing custom chips for their own workloads rather than buying off the shelf, a vertical-integration shift emerging in terms of who controls AI hardware.

Anaqua’s Semiconductor Industry Patent Report

Anaqua’s Semiconductor Industry Patent Report is based on an analysis of 713,755 total semiconductor-related filings over the latest five-year period, including more than 174,000 in the most recent 12-month period alone. The report was generated using data from Anaqua’s AcclaimIP patent analytics platform, accessed between May and June of 2026. All queries were executed via the AcclaimIP Model Context Protocol (MCP) connector, enabling direct programmatic access to the full patent database. For a free copy of the report, please visit 2026 Semiconductor Industry Patent Report: AI & Innovation Trends.

About Anaqua

Anaqua, Inc. is a premier provider of integrated intellectual property (IP) management technology solutions and services for corporations and law firms. Its IP management software platforms offer best practice workflows with big data analytics and tech-enabled services to create an intelligent environment designed to inform IP strategy, enable IP decision-making, and streamline IP operations, and protect organizations’ freedom to operate tailored to each segment’s needs. Today, nearly half of the top 100 U.S. patent filers and global brands, as well as a growing number of law firms worldwide use Anaqua’s solutions. Over two million IP executives, attorneys, paralegals, administrators, and innovators use the platform for their IP management needs. The company’s global operations are headquartered in Boston, with offices across the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Australia. For additional information, please visit anaqua.com, or on Anaqua's LinkedIn.

Media Contact:

Jean Kondo
Anaqua
+1-617-375-5808
media@anaqua.com

Law firms looking to adopt AI need a clear understanding of how the technology will help them deliver short-term value to clients and long-term profitability. In this webinar, Andersen Partners' Attorney, Simon Lotze, and Anaqua's Senior Director, Jon-James Kirtland, shared their insights on exactly that.

Watch the on-demand recording and see a demo of Anaqua's AI-powered tools in action.

Unified Patents’ litigation prevention, licensing and risk mitigation solutions extend Anaqua’s capabilities to enable organizations to protect and utilize innovation

Boston, MA August 4, 2026 - Anaqua, the leading provider of intellectual property (IP) management technology and services, today announced its acquisition of Unified Patents, a pioneering provider of IP risk mitigation and intelligence solutions. By combining Anaqua's market-leading IP management platform with Unified Patents' deep expertise in litigation prevention, the company is establishing a new approach that spans the entire innovation and IP lifecycle – from helping organizations commercialize innovation through the creation and management of its IP assets to proactively protecting innovation from abusive litigation and predatory licensing practices.

The acquisition comes at a time that organizations are facing escalating IP litigation risk. Since 2023, increased activity from non-practicing entities (NPEs) and a rise in standard-essential patent (SEP) disputes have contributed to a sharp increase in licensing, litigation, and associated costs. As costs climb, organizations are under increasing pressure to protect product innovation by building new IP assets while preserving freedom to operate. Unified Patents addresses these challenges by identifying and assessing assertions, and then neutralizing low-quality patents through challenging their validity, thereby also deterring future ones. This enables organizations to reduce risk, lower defense costs and focus more resources on innovation and growth.

"Investing in innovation is core to the development of IP assets and the products and services ultimately derived from them, but protecting that investment is becoming increasingly complex," said Justin Crotty, CEO of Anaqua. "Organizations need more than tools to manage and commercialize intellectual property. They need solutions that help protect the business value behind their innovation. With Unified Patents, Anaqua expands its capabilities beyond managing and protecting IP assets to helping organizations proactively reduce litigation risk, defend against opportunistic patent assertions and safeguard the investments that drive growth and competitive advantage."

Through a unique membership model, Unified Patents serves more than 300 members across more than a dozen “technology zones” that include Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing & Cloud Storage, Content Delivery & Streaming, Electronic Payments, Cybersecurity, and Mobile Communications, among others. It operates by monitoring patent assertion activity, proactively challenging weak patents and negotiating royalty-free licenses to protect those zones. Unified also has a growing set of related activities, such as prior art searching, AI-enhanced claim charting, and demand-letter analysis, that together form a comprehensive, cost-effective protection and risk-mitigation strategy.

"The economics of innovation are changing," said Kevin Jakel, co-founder and CEO, Unified Patents. "Patent assertions, licensing demands, and litigation are becoming more sophisticated and more frequent. Organizations need access to stronger defensive capabilities, more intelligence, and earlier warning signals. Together with Anaqua, we can help companies move from reacting to risk to proactively managing it."

As part of this transaction, Jakel joins Anaqua in a new role as Chief Intellectual Property Strategist. He will continue to support the core Unified Patents business while also working to serve Anaqua customers more broadly. Co-founder and current Unified Patents President Shawn Ambwani joins Anaqua as Senior Vice President, Head of Unified Patents, responsible for managing the Unified Patents business unit. Additionally, Jonathan Stroud, Unified Patents’ current Chief Operating Officer and Chief Legal Officer, will join Anaqua as Vice President, Head of Unified Patents Operations.

"We are thrilled to have Kevin, Shawn, Jonathan, and the broader Unified Patents team join Anaqua,” Crotty continued. “They have a differentiated skill set and expertise that is highly complementary to that of the existing Anaqua organization.”

The acquisition also strengthens Anaqua's ability to serve executive stakeholders, attorneys and IP professionals with actionable data-driven intelligence that extends beyond traditional IP management. Customers will benefit from enhanced visibility into patent litigation activity, licensing trends, and competitive patent landscapes, enabling more strategic business and investment decisions. The data, skills and expertise Unified Patents has aggregated over 14 years will serve as the foundation for an enhanced set of AI-driven Anaqua platform capabilities focused on risk mitigation, licensing management and portfolio valuation.

“Joining Anaqua allows us to accelerate our mission on a much larger scale,” added Ambwani. “By combining our strengths, we can expand the reach of our solutions, improve patent quality, and provide customers with a more comprehensive approach to managing IP assets, protecting innovation and maintaining freedom to operate.”

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

About Unified Patents

Unified Patents is a membership-based organization that works to deter unmeritorious patent assertions across key technology sectors, including automotive, cloud computing, consumer electronics, medical devices, and semiconductors. By combining intelligence, analytics, and invalidity challenges, Unified Patents seeks to protect innovation, reduce costs, and create legal certainty for its more than 300 members. For more information, visit https://www.unifiedpatents.com/.

About Anaqua

Anaqua, Inc. is a premier provider of integrated intellectual property (IP) management technology solutions and services for corporations and law firms. Its IP management software platforms offer best practice workflows with big data analytics and tech-enabled services to create an intelligent environment designed to inform IP strategy, enable IP decision-making, and streamline IP operations, and protect organizations’ freedom to operate tailored to each segment’s needs. Today, nearly half of the top 100 U.S. patent filers and global brands, as well as a growing number of law firms worldwide use Anaqua’s solutions. Over two million IP executives, attorneys, paralegals, administrators, and innovators use the platform for their IP management needs. The company’s global operations are headquartered in Boston, with offices across the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Australia. For additional information, please visit anaqua.com, or on Anaqua's LinkedIn.

Media Contact:

Jean Kondo
Anaqua
media@anaqua.com
+1-617-375-5808

Brand Protection That Works - Practical Strategies for Faster, Effective Online Enforcement

This panel discussion addresses practical strategies for strengthening online brand enforcement—covering how to prioritize threats, build stronger evidence, and drive faster, more effective takedowns across channels.

Speakers

Andersen Partners' Attorney, Simon Lotze and Anaqua's Brand Protection Product Owner, Timmi K. Rysgaard discuss how trademark and IP teams are trying to prioritize the right risks and move faster in protecting their portfolios.

Watch the recording to learn:

• Why speed is becoming a limiting factor in brand protection and where delays create real risk
• How AI generated content is supercharging the counterfeit market and how to tackle the issue
• How to protect your brand portfolio in a new risk landscape
• Where innovative trademark leaders are using AI to drive the most value

Speakers

Timmi Kleinnibbelink Rysgaard, Product Owner, Brand Protection, Anaqua

Simon Sebastian Lotze, Attorney, Head of IP Department, Andersen Partners

Stinson LLP, a leading U.S. law firm with a strong intellectual property practice, needed to enhance efficiency and deliver greater value to clients while managing high volumes of IP work in a rapidly changing legal environment. By adopting Anaqua’s PATTSY WAVE® platform, along with Global IP Estimator and other integrated services, Stinson streamlined operations, improved client responsiveness, and positioned its team for long-term innovation.

TESTIMONIAL

"I’ve always had a positive experience working with PATTSY WAVE and Anaqua’s support team. The resources are available quicker than expected — that makes a huge difference."

- Stephen C. Hall, Senior IP Administrator Stinson LLP

CHALLENGE

Stinson LLP, a full-service U.S. law firm with a strong IP practice, faced a complex set of challenges in a rapidly evolving legal and economic environment:

• Economic Pressure & Client Expectations: Clients were increasingly bringing IP work in-house to cut costs, requiring Stinson to offer more value through efficiency, automation, and competitive pricing.

• High-Volume IP Management: With clients managing hundreds of trademarks and patents, the firm needed to handle a large volume of deadlines and filings without overwhelming its team or compromising quality.

• Manual Budgeting Processes: Estimating foreign filing costs was time-consuming and dependent on external associates, delaying client responses and increasing administrative burden.

• Resistance to Legal Tech Adoption: While clients demanded AI-driven, cost-effective solutions, integrating automation into traditional legal workflows posed cultural and operational challenges.

• Evolving PTO Standards: Patent and Trademark Offices are shifting to digital formats, requiring law firms to adapt quickly to new communication and documentation standards.

TESTIMONIAL

"The quicker you can get ahead of those deadlines, the better you can serve your clients with a more balanced workload. Anaqua’s Global IP Estimator helps us reduce all that legwork to just 10–20 minutes and decrease the lag time of getting an estimate from an associate by at least 12 hours."

- Stephen C. Hall, Senior IP Administrator Stinson LLP

Anaqua’s PATTSY WAVE is a comprehensive IP docketing and case management platform designed to streamline intellectual property operations for law firms and corporate IP teams. It automates deadline tracking, filings, and reporting across patents, trademarks, and litigation, helping teams reduce risk, stay compliant with PTO requirements, and improve efficiency. Its intuitive interface and robust reporting tools enable better collaboration, faster decision-making, and enhanced client service.