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Apple has been quietly acquiring artificial intelligence startups for years to boost AI capabilities across its products and services. This strategy will continue strongly in 2023, with estimates suggesting that Apple acquired up to 32 AI companies last year.
The numbers show that Apple is significantly outpacing other big tech companies in acquiring AI startups. According to the report, Google acquired 21 AI startups in 2023, Facebook Meta acquired 18 companies, while Microsoft followed suit with 17 acquisitions. Apple has so far remained fairly quiet about how it plans to leverage the AI technology and expertise gained through its acquisition strategy. But this approach reflects a multifaceted effort to advance Apple's AI capabilities through talent acquisition, technology integration, and intellectual property expansion.
Some notable AI startups Apple has acquired over the past few years include Voysis, WaveOne, Emotient, and Laserlike. Voysis, acquired in 2020, specializes in voice assistants that can understand natural language. This technology likely contributed to the advancement of Apple's own Siri virtual assistant. WaveOne, acquired in March 2023, has developed video compression technology that could be used in Apple products such as the iPhone and Apple Watch. Other acquisitions focused on facial expression recognition, app recommendations, and music AI.
What's interesting about Apple's strategy is its focus on early-stage startups. This suggests the company aims to identify and invest in emerging AI trends before its competitors, the report said. It remains to be seen exactly how Apple will implement these startup technologies into its consumer products. Competitors such as Samsung and Google have rapidly developed their own AI capabilities in recent years, and smartphones such as the Galaxy S24 Ultra are equipped with advanced AI features. But Apple's significant lead in acquiring AI startups over the past six years points to its ambitious plans for future devices and services.
