tech
Apple buys Q.ai to help devices read our faces
Apple confirmed this week that it has acquired Israeli AI startup Q.ai in a deal valued at close to $2 billion, making it one of the company’s largest acquisitions ever, second only to the $3 billion purchase of Beats in 2014.
TL;DR
- Apple acquired Israeli AI startup Q.ai for approximately $2 billion.
- Q.ai specializes in interpreting "silent speech" using machine learning to detect facial micro-movements and subtle audio cues.
- This technology could enable devices to understand user intentions without spoken commands, allowing for private interactions.
- Potential applications include future versions of AirPods, Vision Pro, and other wearables.
- The acquisition suggests Apple is focusing on redefining human-computer interfaces, not just improving conversational AI.
- The technology could be integrated into Apple products as early as 2027.