Apple fell to seventh place in U.S. patent rankings for 2025, securing 2,722 grants, an 11.6% drop from the previous year, according to an IFI CLAIMS report. This decline mirrors a broader industry contraction, with total U.S. patent grants slipping slightly. Samsung Electronics led the field with 7,054 patents, followed by TSMC, Qualcomm, and Huawei.

The report highlights a strategic pivot toward artificial intelligence, which IFI CLAIMS calls the main story in corporate innovation. While overall patent activity cooled, companies aggressively filed AI-related patents. This shift may explain why traditional chip patents declined 20%, even as semiconductor giants like TSMC and Samsung pursued next-generation device technologies.

Apple’s slide also coincides with IBM’s exit from the top ten for the first time in over thirty years. IBM is deliberately focusing its patent portfolio on cloud computing and AI rather than volume. For Apple, the lower ranking raises questions about its future R&D focus as it continues developing custom silicon and integrated hardware systems.