IBM Tops 2018 Patent List as AI and Quantum Computing Gain Prominence (fortune.com)

IBM earned a record 9,100 U.S. patents in 2018, marking the 26th year in a row the Armonk, New York-based company has been the top recipient. From a report: Samsung was second with 5,850 patents while tech giants Apple and Microsoft also appeared in the top ten, according to a list compiled by research service IFI Claims. IBM's latest patent haul, which topped the 9,043 it received last year, includes a growing number of inventions related to artificial intelligence and quantum computing, which many people see as critical technologies of the future.

Comments

"earned"

[110010001000]

You mean "paid for". At this point, patents mean nothing except you paid the fee.