According to Chinese media outlet Observer Network, US Forbes recently published an article stating, 'China holds most patents related to humanoid robots, and US companies may be forced to license them.'

According to the article, in its latest report analyzing robot-related patents over the past six years, US analytics company LexisNexis stated that China holds an overwhelming majority of humanoid robot-related patents, especially those related to 'form (the body itself),' and that this aligns with the country's strategic industrial policy. Meanwhile, US patents excel in terms of individual quality and strength, and the US ranks second in terms of the value of its patent portfolio related to form, despite having fewer patents.

The analysis investigated over 26,000 patent families related to the three essential technologies for humanoid robots that walk and perform tasks: interaction systems, form, and control/planning systems.

In patents related to humanoid robot form, China's global share currently reaches 73%, significantly outpacing other countries. South Korea is second with 11%, Japan is third with 7%, and the US remains in fourth place with a mere 5%. When considering patent value, the figures change slightly: China's share becomes 63%, while the US rises to 11% and Japan to 10%.

Over the past decade, China's patent applications have surged approximately 2-fold in the interaction systems field, approximately 2.5-fold in the form field, and approximately 5-fold in the control and planning architecture field. Applications in the form field, in particular, have rapidly increased since 2023, and this series of developments aligns perfectly with the Chinese government's industrial policy. China has positioned robotics as a strategic field and has prioritized the development of essential elemental technologies for humanoid robots.

The United States is attempting to effectively bar Chinese-made robots, and by extension all foreign-made robots, from the US market. This move could overturn Goldman Sachs' prediction that the humanoid robot market will reach approximately $38 billion (approximately 5.966 trillion yen) by 2035. However, patent rights are established country by country and are not affected by import restrictions. The fact that China holds a 73% share of patents related to humanoid robot form means that US manufacturers will be forced to design around Chinese intellectual property or enter into licensing agreements. (Translated and edited by Yanagawa)