SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 29 - Apple has acquired Q.ai, an Israeli startup focused on artificial intelligence applied to audio, the company announced on Thursday. As part of the transaction, Q.ai’s founding team will join Apple’s ranks, including CEO Aviad Maizels.
Maizels previously founded three-dimensional sensing company PrimeSense and sold it to Apple in 2013. That PrimeSense acquisition later contributed to Apple’s shift away from fingerprint sensors on iPhones toward facial recognition technology - a development Apple credited to the earlier deal.
Apple did not make public the financial terms of the Q.ai purchase, nor did it specify the precise ways the startup’s technology will be integrated into Apple products. The company said Q.ai has pursued new machine learning approaches intended to help devices understand whispered speech and to improve audio quality in challenging acoustic settings.
In a statement, Maizels said, "joining Apple opens extraordinary possibilities for pushing boundaries and realizing the full potential of what we’ve created, and we’re thrilled to bring these experiences to people everywhere.”
The move follows Apple’s recent efforts to add advanced AI-driven features to its audio products. Last year, the company introduced technology for its AirPods that enables speech translation between languages, illustrating the firm’s interest in applying machine learning to consumer audio experiences.
Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware technologies, commented on the acquisition, saying, "Q.ai is a remarkable company that is pioneering new and creative ways to use imaging and machine learning. We’re thrilled to acquire the company, with Aviad at the helm, and are even more excited for what’s to come.”
Apple confirmed that Q.ai co-founders Yonatan Wexler and Avi Barliya will also join the company as part of the acquisition.
Context and implications
Apple’s statement frames the acquisition as a talent and technology addition that may support future audio-related features. Beyond the joining of Q.ai’s leadership team, details remain sparse: there is no disclosed information on how the technology will be commercialized inside Apple’s product lineup or on any timelines for product integration.
The acquisition reiterates Apple’s ongoing interest in embedding machine learning capabilities into its consumer hardware, particularly in audio and hands-free interaction scenarios.