Industry Bytes

Artificial Intelligence in Southeast Asia

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming a key driving force for next
generation innovation, and developers in Southeast Asia are
increasingly competing to uncover new approaches and broaden
its reach.

What is AI? AI Research and Innovation

AI is an area of computer science that
emphasizes the creation of intelligent
machines that work and react like humans.
More than 24,000 AI-
related papers have been
published in Southeast Asia, with
Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand
accounting for 86% of output.
in Southeast Asia
The term AI was coined as early as 1956, but it was
not until the advent of computing technology in the
1990s that its true potential started to be realized.
Southeast Asia is one region that has invested
heavily in AI and as a result boasts huge growth in
its AI capabilities and understanding. By recognizing
AI’s capacity to influence both business and social
settings, the region has published a diverse range of
AI-related research papers and patents in recent years.
Subject matters include not just computer algorithms,
but also semiconductors, robotics, medicine, and
biochemistry, thus highlighting the versatility of AI and
its potential applications to impact everyday lives.
2 Web of Science | Trust the difference

Of course, there are industries that can be identified within the region, producing 10,274 publications,
as vanguards in the AI community. Our analytics with Malaysia (8,416) and Thailand (3,648) following
recognize that between 1997-2016 patenting activity behind. The output of these three countries alone
in Singapore was dominated by the fields of semi- accounted for 86% of the total for the region.
conductors, image recognition and speech recognition.
In measuring research excellence, it is important to
look at the top performing papers. As of September
AI Research 2017, 161 Highly Cited papers were published
from Southeast Asian countries. Singapore
By evaluating the input of academia in the contributed 97 of these, and Malaysia follows
sector we can create an overview of AI thought closely with 52. In terms of overall citation impact
leadership within the region. InCites, which is built of these countries, Singapore is the only country
on the foundation of our Web of Science product, that has performed above the global average.
uses customized citation data, global metrics Our analytics also identified notable organizations
and multidimensional profiles on the leading in the region that perform AI research,
research institutions to achieve true insight. namely National University of Singapore
Our data identified that 24,548 AI-related papers (NUS), Nanyang Technological University,
have been published by Southeast Asian countries, Singapore (NTU), University of Malaya (UM) and
with the earliest paper dated 1985. Once again University of Technology, Malaysia (UTM).
Singapore is acknowledged as a prolific contributor

Research performance of Southeast Asian countries

Category Normalized Citation Impact

2.6 Singapore Philippines

Malaysia Brunei
2.4 Myanmar
Thailand
Indonesia Cambodia
2.2
Vietnam Laos

2.0

1.8

1.6

1.4

1.2
Average for Catagory Normalized Citation Impact
1.0
Average for WoS Documents

0.8

0.6

0.4
0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000

Figure 1: x-axis shows the number of papers, y-axis shows the Category Normalized Citation Impact and
the size of each bubble represents the number of Highly Cited Papers published by each country.

Source: InCites Benchmarking & Analytics by Clarivate Analytics

Clarivate Analytics | Artifical Intelligence in Southeast Asia, Industry Bytes 3

Who is leading the AI revolution? Our findings from DWPI

Derwent Innovation provides us with trusted patent
indicate an overall increase
data and tools to monitor trends and competitive
landscapes within the sphere of AI. Our findings in the number of AI-specific
indicate an overall increase in the number of AI-
specific patents published in Southeast Asia during
patents published in Southeast
the past 20 years, with consistent growth since 2013. Asia during the past 20 years.

Number of Research
AI-related AI-relatedPapers
papersPublished
publishedby
byTop
top 10
10 Southeast
ASEAN universities from 2007 to 2016
Asian Universities

Nanyang Technological University

2,827

National University of Singapore

2,383

Universiti Malaya
1,103

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

1,150

Universiti Putra Malaysia

626
Country Snapshot of the Patent
Agency for Science Technology & Research (A*STAR)
539

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Artificial Intelligence patent filing c

643
(Derwent Innovation, 1997~2016)
Universiti Sains Malaysia
523

King Mongkuts University of Technology

618

Mahidol University
274

Figure 2: Number of AI-related papers published by top 10 Southeast Asian universities from 2007 to 2016.
The universities are sorted according to the number of citations they received in this period.

Source: InCites Benchmarking & Analytics by Clarivate Analytics

Country Snapshot of the Patent Landscape in Southeast Asia

Patents Published in Southeast Asia Country Snapshot of the Patent
Artificial Intelligence patent filing country
Landscape in Southeast Asia
By country, Singapore remains the leading (Derwent Innovation, 1997~2016)
light in the region, accounting for 77% of
Southeast Asia’s total patent publications.
Using Derwent Innovation, we can identify
the specific companies investing in the AI SG - 77%

market. Established brands, Johnson & VN- 7%

Johnson, Applied Materials and Softbank ID - 6%
Robotics are at the forefront of the sector, MY - 5%
dominating published patents in the country. PH - 4%
TH - 1%

SG - 77%
FigureVN-3:7%Artificial Intelligence patent filing
country (Derwent Innovation, 1997~2016)
ID - 6%
MY - 5%
PH - 4%
TH - 1%
 Clarivate Analytics | Artifical Intelligence in Southeast Asia, Industry Bytes 4

advancement is, by its very nature, indicative of

Singapore’s commitment to emerging technology.
Technology Analysis of Key observations:
the Patent Landscape in Southeast Asia
• Southeast Asia continues to Technology Analysis of the Patent
Technology analysis of the patents in Artificial Intelligence by Landscape in Southeast
expand its patenting
Technology
IPC classification (Derwent Innovation, 1997~2016)
output with of the Patent Landscape
Analysis in Southeast Asia Asia
consistent growth since 2013.
Technology
• More than 24,000 analysis
AI-related of the
papers patents in Artificial Intelligence by
have
been published in the Southeast Asia Innovation, 1997~2016)
IPC classification (Derwent
region, with Singapore, Malaysia and
Thailand accounting for 86% of output.
• Of 161 Highly Cited AI papers in Southeast
Asia, 97 derived from Singapore.
Singapore is the only country that has
outperformed the global average.
• Singapore is leading the region’ s
output, accounting for 77% of its patent
publications and more than 40% of
its AI-related research literature.
Medical or veterinary science; hygiene
• Between 1997-2016 patenting activity Manipulators, transport or storage devices
in Singapore was dominated by the Biochemistry; genetic engineering
innovation surrounding semi-conductors, Measuring, computing; calculating; counting Medical or veterinary science; hygiene
image recognition and speech recognition. Electric communication technique; semiconductors Manipulators, transport or storage devices
Biochemistry; genetic engineering
Figure 4: Technology analysis of the patents in Artificial
Measuring, Intelligence
computing; calculating; counting
by IPC classification (Derwent Innovation, 1997~2016)
Electric communication technique; semiconductors

What’s next for AI?

As the race to capitalize on the escalating capabilities
of AI gains pace, many Asian countries are beginning
to challenge the United States’ dominance in the
field. Singapore, in particular, is recognized as
making great leaps in its AI learning and innovation.
In fact, in Singapore communication specialist SingTel
is collaborating with Nanyang Technological University
and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research
(A*STAR) to develop AI, data analytics, robotics and
IoT to support the country’s transformation into a
Smart Nation and assist its digital economy. The
Smart Nation program, which aims to empower
citizens and enrich their lives via technological
About Clarivate Analytics
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