Apple is close to a finalizing a deal to acquire the “talent and technology” of AI computer vision startup Prompt AI, says a CNBC report.
Apple’s deal with Prompt AI is reportedly all but signed, and AI startup’s leadership told employees at an all-hands meeting on Thursday about the agreement and to inform them about the next steps. They told the assembled employees that those workers that won’t be joining Apple will receive a reduced salary, and were encouraged to apply for open positions at the company.
“Investors will get paid some money in the deal but ‘won’t be made whole,’ executives said in the meeting. Prompt employees were asked to refrain from mentioning Apple until further notice while searching for other jobs or updating friends and family on their situation.”
Prompt AI’s main product is Seemour, an app that uses AI with security cameras, allowing it to “detect specific people, pets and other animals or objects around a household, and to send alerts and text-based descriptions of unusual activity or answer questions about what’s been happening in front of the camera,” according to CNBC.
The report said that the Seemour app will be removed from the App Store, and that appears to have already happened. Users will be told that their data will be deleted and privacy protected.
The final details of the deal have not yet been officially announced, so we won’t know for certain how much Apple is paying for Prompt’s staff and technology until the details of the agreement should emerge.
(Image by Brian Penny from Pixabay)