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Apple, Meta, and Google are engaged in a competitive race to dominate the future of AI, with an increased emphasis on hardware innovations. In a strategic move, Apple has recently acquired the AI startup Q.ai, aiming to enhance its capabilities, particularly in the audio segment.
According to a report by Reuters, Apple’s acquisition of Q.ai—an Israeli startup noted for its advancements in imaging and machine learning—will bolster its technology that allows devices to interpret whispered speech and improve audio quality in noisy settings. Apple has been integrating new AI functionalities into its AirPods, such as the live translation feature introduced last year.
Furthermore, Apple has developed technology that can detect subtle movements in facial muscles, potentially enhancing the functionality of its Vision Pro headset.
The Financial Times has reported that the acquisition is valued at nearly $2 billion, marking Apple’s second-largest acquisition to date, following the $3 billion purchase of Beats Electronics in 2014.
Interestingly, this marks the second occasion on which CEO Aviad Maizels has sold a company to Apple. In 2013, he sold PrimeSense, a 3D sensing firm that was instrumental in Apple’s shift from fingerprint recognition to facial recognition technologies for iPhones.
Founded in 2022, Q.ai is supported by investors including Kleiner Perkins and GV (formerly Google Ventures). The founding team, comprising Maizels and co-founders Yonatan Wexler and Avi Barliya, will join Apple as part of the acquisition.
This announcement coincides with Apple’s upcoming quarterly earnings report, with analysts anticipating revenues of approximately $138 billion, signaling the company’s strongest iPhone sales growth in four years.
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June 23, 2026
This article was updated to clarify that the company is backed by GV; it previously misstated that Gradient Ventures was a supporter.
