Apple bought the Israeli startup Q.ai, which develops innovative ways of contactless interaction with AI devices

Apple made one of the largest deals in its history by buying the Israeli startup Q.ai, which specializes in audio and image technologies based on AI. According to sources, the deal amount is between $1.6 billion to $2 billion, making it Apple's second largest acquisition after the Beats audio brand, which took place in 2014 and cost $3 billion.

What is known

Apple officially confirmed the acquisition of Q.ai — a private Israeli startup that was launched in 2022 and developed technologies for whisper recognition, sound enhancement in noisy environments, and facial micro-movement analysis. These developments could be key for future AI features of AirPods, the development of Vision Pro and other wearable devices, and also accelerate the development of hands-free interfaces where Siri and other services can operate without voice commands.

The startup created systems that allow devices to understand silent or barely audible speech using machine learning and analysis of subtle facial changes. Q.ai's patents describe technologies that determine the user's emotional state, heart rate, and breath. These solutions could pave the way for a new generation of voice-less interfaces where interaction with the device occurs through facial expressions and micro-movements.

The deal strengthens Apple's position in the growing competition with Google and Meta in the field of AI devices and wearable devices.

Notably, Q.ai is the second startup that CEO Aviad Maizels sold to Apple: in 2013 the company bought PrimeSense, whose technologies formed the basis of Face ID.

Source: Financial Times