Apple has announced its acquisition of Q.ai, an Israeli startup specializing in artificial intelligence technology for audio. While the financial terms of the deal were not disclosed by Apple, sources familiar with the matter indicate that the acquisition valued Q.ai at approximately $1.6 billion. The startup had received backing from several prominent venture capital firms, including Matter Venture Partners, Kleiner Perkins, Spark Capital, Exor, and GV (formerly Google Ventures).

Q.ai's innovative technology focuses on advanced applications of machine learning, particularly in the realm of audio processing. Its capabilities include helping devices understand whispered speech and enhancing audio quality in challenging environmental conditions. Furthermore, Q.ai had previously filed a patent application for a system that uses "facial skin micromovements" to detect spoken or mouthed words, identify individuals, and even assess biometric indicators such as emotions, heart rate, and respiration rate.

As part of the acquisition, Q.ai's entire team of 100 employees, including CEO Aviad Maizels and co-founders Yonatan Wexler and Avi Barliya, will be joining Apple. This marks a notable reunion for Aviad Maizels, who previously founded PrimeSense, a three-dimensional sensing firm acquired by Apple in 2013. That earlier acquisition played a significant role in Apple's transition from fingerprint sensors to facial recognition technology on its iPhones.

Both parties expressed enthusiasm for the acquisition. Maizels stated that joining Apple offers "extraordinary possibilities for pushing boundaries and realizing the full potential of what we’ve created." Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware technologies, lauded Q.ai as a "remarkable company that is pioneering new and creative ways to use imaging and machine learning," expressing excitement for future developments under Maizels' continued leadership.

This acquisition aligns with Apple's ongoing investment in AI capabilities, as evidenced by recent AI features introduced in its AirPods, such as language translation technology.