Exploring the dynamics behind the development of Artificial Intelligence inventions

Until now, management literature on Artificial Intelligence (AI) focuses mostly on the diverse applications of this technology, while its development has attracted only limited attention. To partially fill this research gap, the present paper analyses a large sample of AI patents and investigates the potential determinants of their technological impact. We show how AI patents developed by only one organization are characterized by larger impact. Besides, our results point out that firms, both alone or in collaboration with a peer organization, are more able than universities to develop AI patents with high impact. These results may shed light on the development of AI patents, as well as contribute to the literature on Open innovation and general-purpose technologies.