Apple acquires Q.ai, an Israeli AI startup specializing in audio tech, for $2B. This move aims to improve AirPods, Siri, and voice control in noisy environments.
© A. Krivonosov
Apple has made one of its largest acquisitions ever, purchasing the Israeli AI startup Q.ai, which specializes in audio artificial intelligence. The deal is valued at approximately $2 billion, making it Apple's second most expensive purchase after the famous Beats acquisition. Until now, the company has revealed little about Q.ai's operations, which has only fueled curiosity about the startup's developments.
Q.ai focuses on machine learning technologies for sound and speech processing. Its main area involves improving audio quality in challenging conditions and creating systems that can recognize even whispers or barely uttered words. This could be a significant step for future generations of AirPods, Siri, and other Apple devices that require more precise voice functionality in noisy environments.
One patent filed by Q.ai last year has drawn particular attention. It describes a method for analyzing micro-movements of facial skin to detect silently spoken words, identify users, assess emotional states, and even measure heart rate. This technology could open new possibilities at the intersection of audio, biometrics, and health.
Following the acquisition, all 100 Q.ai employees, including CEO Avigad Maisels and co-founders Yonatan Wexler and Avi Barlia, will join Apple. Maisels already has experience working with the corporation, having previously founded PrimeSense, a company Apple acquired in 2013 whose technologies later formed the basis for Face ID.
The Q.ai purchase demonstrates Apple's increasing investment in artificial intelligence development, particularly in areas related to voice technologies and personal devices. We'll likely see the results of this deal in future company products where sound and voice control become even more precise and intelligent.