By Hemanisha Baskaran
When OpenAI’s ChatGPT was launched in November 2022, few could have predicted just how quickly it would reshape conversations in boardrooms, research labs, and government offices. Within months, the world was talking about Generative AI, or GenAI, and how these systems would transform not just industries but the very nature of creativity, problem-solving, and productivity.
In ASEAN, where digital economies are booming and AI adoption is accelerating across sectors like healthcare, agriculture, fintech, and smart cities, the conversation has now shifted towards something equally critical: how do we protect these AI innovations? And perhaps more importantly, why does it matter so much today?
AI vs. GenAI: What’s the Difference?
Before we get ahead of ourselves, let us untangle the terms.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a broad concept. It refers to machines or systems capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. This includes decision-making, visual perception, language translation, and even playing chess. Many of these systems are rules-based or built on predictive models trained using large datasets.
Generative AI (GenAI), on the other hand, takes things a step further. Instead of simply analysing or classifying data, GenAI can generate new content, whether it’s text, images, music, or code. Think of ChatGPT writing essays, Midjourney creating digital art, or AI systems composing symphonies. GenAI is powered by large language models (LLMs) and other architectures like generative adversarial networks (GANs) and variational autoencoders (VAEs).
To borrow Nvidia CEO JenHsun Huang’s description, the launch of ChatGPT marked an “iPhone moment” for AI, a tipping point where advanced technology became accessible to the masses.
A Patent Boom Driven by GenAI
Behind the scenes, this AI renaissance is reflected in a skyrocketing number of patent filings. According to the 2024 WIPO Patent Landscape Report, the number of GenAI patent families worldwide has surged from 733 in 2014 to over 14,000 in 2023, a mind-bending 800% increase since the introduction of transformer architecture in 2017.
In ASEAN, countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam are seeing increased filings related to AI and GenAI, particularly in areas like healthcare tech, smart mobility, and financial services. ASEAN may not top the global charts just yet, but it is no longer playing catch-up.
Tracking ASEAN’s GenAI Patent Momentum
A closer analysis of patent filing data reveals some interesting regional trends. While Singapore continues to lead with the highest number of AI and GenAI-related patent applications in the bloc driven by initiatives like the Accelerated Initiative for Artificial Intelligence (AI2), other countries are quickly gaining traction. Malaysia has reported a steady rise in GenAI patent filings, particularly in fields like supply chain optimization and predictive healthcare analytics.
Patent office records from Thailand and Vietnam show a notable increase in applications from both local start-ups and multinational companies investing in localized GenAI applications, from AI-driven crop yield prediction models to multilingual chatbot platforms.
Though overall volumes remain modest compared to China and the United States, the growth trajectory within ASEAN is unmistakable, reflecting both increased innovation output and a growing awareness of IP protection as a strategic necessity.
This data-driven insight highlights the importance of fostering regionally relevant GenAI technologies and ensuring robust IP frameworks to secure ASEAN’s stake in the global AI economy. In fact, the ASEAN AI market is projected to grow to USD1.5 billion by 2025, with governments actively promoting AI ecosystems through national roadmaps and IP frameworks. Singapore’s IP Strategy 2030 and Malaysia’s AI Roadmap 2021–2025 both recognize patenting AI technologies as a national priority.
Who’s Leading the AI Patent Race?
Globally, China dominates the GenAI patent space, responsible for more than 38,000 patent families between 2014 and 2023. The United States follows at a distant second. Interestingly, Asian players like Tencent, Baidu, and Samsung sit among the global top 10 patent holders, alongside IBM, Microsoft, and Google.
Table 2: Top patent owners in GenAI applications (companies), 2014–2023 (Source :“Patent Landscape Report : Generative Artificial Intelligence” by WIPO, 2024)
While ASEAN firms may not yet boast the same numbers, regional start-ups and research institutes are increasingly patenting AI applications from smart farming systems in Vietnam to AI-driven supply chain platforms in Malaysia.
Why AI Patents Matter Now More Than Ever
Here is the real reason this conversation is critical in 2025:
As GenAI becomes embedded in everything from medical diagnostics to autonomous vehicles and smart factories, ownership of the underlying intellectual property will determine who leads these industries and who merely follows.
Patents do more than protect ideas. They grant commercial leverage, create licensing opportunities, and foster investor confidence. Without strong IP protection, inventors risk losing control over their innovations and markets to better-prepared competitors.
In ASEAN’s fast-growing AI economy, where tech start-ups and research labs are prolific, securing patents is the key difference between building a globally scalable business or getting outpaced by overseas giants.
The Future: ASEAN’s GenAI Opportunity
Looking ahead, ASEAN holds unique potential in the GenAI space. With its young, tech-savvy population of approximately 660 million and rapidly expanding digital economy, the region is well-positioned to develop localized GenAI applications in fields like multilingual chatbots, sustainable agriculture, and smart logistics.
But to fully capitalize on this, businesses, universities, and governments need to treat patent protection as a strategic asset, not an afterthought. This is especially crucial.
Whether it’s a multinational company in Kuala Lumpur developing AI tools for enhancing production of semiconductors, a startup in Jakarta building an AI-driven batik pattern generator, or a medtech firm in Singapore developing AI cancer screening tools, those inventions deserve to be protected, at home and internationally.
Final Thoughts
The AI landscape is evolving at a pace none of us could have imagined a few years ago. GenAI, in particular, is no longer a futuristic concept, it is a business enabler, a creative partner, and a competitive weapon.
In ASEAN’s vibrant digital economy, the real challenge is not just how fast we can build GenAI systems, it is how effectively we can protect, commercialize, and control them. And in 2025, that starts with a patent application.
In if you are seeking advice from the experts in the IP field, we are here ready to help. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us at kass@kass.asia!