In the race to lead the AI field, the leading tech labs – Apple, Meta, and Google – are all investing in hardware improvements. Against this backdrop, Apple aims to gain a significant edge, particularly in the audio segment.
The Israeli startup Q.ai, specializing in image processing and machine learning, is known for solutions that allow a device to recognize whispered speech and improve sound in noisy environments. Apple continues to add new AI features to its AirPods, including live translation introduced last year.
In addition, the company is working on a technology to detect subtle facial micro-movements, which could help enhance the Vision Pro headset.
The deal is valued at nearly $2 billion, making it Apple’s second-largest acquisition to date after Beats Electronics for $3 billion in 2014.
The Context of the AI Race and the Role of Hardware
It is also known that this is the second time CEO Aviad Maizels has sold a company to Apple. In 2013, he sold PrimeSense, a 3D-sensor company that played a key role in Apple’s shift from fingerprint sensors to facial recognition on iPhone.
Q.ai was launched in 2022 and is backed by Kleiner Perkins, Gradient Ventures, and others. The founding team included Aviad Maizels, Yonatan Veksler, and Avi Barliya, who will join Apple as part of the deal.
The news comes just a few hours before the publication of Apple’s first-quarter report, in which revenue is expected to be about $138 billion. It is also projected to mark the strongest four-year growth in iPhone sales.