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AI Patenting and Employment: Evidence from the World's Top R&D Investors

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  • Alessandro Sterlacchini

    (Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche e Sociali - Universita' Politecnica delle Marche)

Abstract

This paper considers 42 corporations which are among the biggest world's R&D investors and account for more than two thirds of AI patents worldwide. Their postpatenting performance is examined by focusing on employment changes and by comparing them with the outcomes of 42 similar companies, operating in the same sectors and recording high levels of R&D expenditures as well, but not involved in AI patenting to a significant extent. The main findings are that in Computers & electronics the companies with the highest shares of AI patents have experienced remarkable employment reductions, while IT services companies have recorded high rates of employment growth, only a bit higher if significantly involved in AI patenting. For companies belonging to Automobiles & parts the evidence is not clear cut, although some of those with significant shares of AI patents have documented a marked decrease of employees.

Suggested Citation

  • Alessandro Sterlacchini, 2022. "AI Patenting and Employment: Evidence from the World's Top R&D Investors," Working Papers 462, Universita' Politecnica delle Marche (I), Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche e Sociali.
    • Handle: RePEc:anc:wpaper:462
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    File URL: http://docs.dises.univpm.it/web/quaderni/pdf/462.pdf
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    Cited by:

    1. Igna, Ioana & Venturini, Francesco, 2023. "The determinants of AI innovation across European firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(2).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Artificial intelligence; Patents; Employment changes; Large corporations.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand

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