Tech heavyweight Apple has acquired French artificial intelligence (AI) startup Datakalab. The deal, which was confirmed on December 17, demonstrates Apple’s growing commitment to advancing its AI performance.
Datakalab’s focus on facial analysis technology is set to greatly improve Apple’s current AI capabilities. The exact financial details remain confidential, aligning with Apple’s usual practice.
Datakalab, established in 2016, is revered for creating AI algorithms that are power efficient and highly adaptable for mobile devices. The company prides itself on providing fast, cost-effective, and accurate vision computing.
This acquisition meshes with Apple’s strategy to supercharge its devices with superior AI capacities, potentially starting with the forthcoming iOS 18.
Apple’s purchase of Datakalab enhances AI
This move underscores Apple’s commitment to personalized, intelligent devices that enhance user experience.
Apple’s research team has developed an AI system known as ReALM (Reference Resolution As Language Modeling). This innovative mechanism simplifies the process of interpreting visual cues on screen by converting them into linguistic tasks, thus enhancing AI voice interaction.
An independent AI researcher commented on AI’s potential to elevate customer experiences, encourage loyalty, and bolster sales. AI’s capacity for real-time data analysis can predict customer needs and preferences for highly personal interactions.
Currently, Apple is reportedly in discussions with Google to embed Google’s AI system within the iPhone. In conjunction with exploring potential collaborations with other companies to incorporate their AI technology, this marks a significant effort by Apple to diversify and strengthen their AI capabilities.
