Apple has reportedly acquired Q.ai, an Israeli AI startup, for approximately $2 billion. This marks Apple's second-largest acquisition to date, following its $3 billion purchase of Beats in 2014. The acquisition of Q.ai signifies Apple's continued investment in artificial intelligence and its ambition to enhance its technology portfolio.
Q.ai, founded in 2022 by Aviad Maizels, Yonatan Wexler, and Dr. Avi Barliya, has been operating largely in stealth, focusing on machine learning technology to revolutionize audio and communication experiences. The company's expertise lies in AI and machine learning for audio-related challenges, with a particular emphasis on technology that can analyze facial micro-movements to detect speech and emotions. Patents filed by Q.ai showcase the potential use of their technology in headphones or glasses, employing facial skin micro-movements for silent communication. This could enable users to have private, non-verbal interactions with AI assistants through wearable devices.
While Apple has not officially disclosed its plans for Q.ai's technology, industry experts speculate that it could be integrated into several of Apple's products, including AirPods, the Vision Pro headset, and the Siri AI assistant. The acquisition could lead to more personalized and intuitive user experiences across Apple's ecosystem.
The Q.ai team, including CEO Aviad Maizels, Yonatan Wexler, and Avi Barliya, will be joining Apple. Notably, this is Aviad Maizels' second venture to be acquired by Apple; he previously founded PrimeSense, the company behind the technology used in Microsoft Kinect, which Apple acquired in 2013 and later used to develop Face ID.
Apple's acquisition of Q.ai comes at a time when the company is under pressure to demonstrate its AI prowess. While Apple has shown steady financial growth, some investors have expressed concerns that the company is lagging behind competitors in the AI race. Apple's approach to AI has been described as deliberate, focusing on in-house developments, strategic acquisitions, and partnerships that prioritize privacy and on-device processing. In line with this strategy, Apple has partnered with Google to use Gemini models to power Siri.
Johny Srouji, Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies, lauded Q.ai as "a remarkable company that is pioneering new and creative ways to use imaging and machine learning". With the acquisition of Q.ai, Apple aims to narrow the gap with companies like Meta, Google, and OpenAI in the development of AI-powered wearable devices and enhance its AI capabilities across its product lines.
GV (formerly Google Ventures), an early financial backer of Q.ai, noted that the deal marks Apple's second-largest acquisition in its history. The acquisition of Q.ai reflects Apple's ongoing commitment to innovation and its focus on creating seamless and intuitive user experiences through the integration of advanced AI technologies.
