Apple has acquired Israeli startup Q.ai, a company that is working to apply artificial intelligence technology to audio, reports Reuters.
The Financial Times reports that its source tell them that Apple paid close to $2 billion for the company, which would make it one of Apple’s largest acquisitions ever, second only to the $3 billion for headphone and audio brand Beats back in 2014.
Q.ai has patents covering technology that can be used in headphones or glasses “analyze facial expressions” to understand “silent speech,” according to FT.
“Patents filed by Q.Ai show its technology being used in headphones or glasses, using ‘facial skin micro movements’ to communicate without talking,” adds the report, noting that the technology could pave the way for “non-verbal discussions” with Siri.
Q.ai CEO Aviad Maizels had another Israeli startup, PrimeSense, acquired by Apple in 2013. Apple used that company’s technology to develop Face ID, which was first used on the iPhone X in 2017.
Q.ai’s founding team, Maizels, Yonatan Wexler, and Avi Barliya, will join Apple.
Apple’s chipmaking chief Johny Srouji described Q.ai as “a remarkable company that is pioneering new and creative ways to use imaging and machine learning,” in a statement to Reuters. “We’re thrilled to acquire the company, with Aviad at the helm, and are even more excited for what’s to come.”