Apple the well known company around the world why buying all the AI startups silently and planning to beat Meta, Google and many more at the same time in this shopping spree?
Well, as per the latest report Apple currently holds over 34 AI startups to which Google is standing at 21, Meta on 18 while Microsoft purchased 17. According to estimates from Stocklytics, which derived their data from a Statista study, Apple bought up to 32 AI firms last year, demonstrating the sustained strength of this strategy in 2023.
Financial expert Edith Reads of Stocklytics offered the following analysis on Apple’s purchase strategy:
“In the ongoing AI arms race, Apple is making sizeable deals with many AI startups, putting it in a good spot for future tech developments even as its competitors, Microsoft and Google, make considerable investments in already established AI companies.” She also added “By acquiring promising AI startups, Apple gains access to top-tier talent and innovative technologies and consolidates its foothold in crucial AI domains, ensuring a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.”
The names of the few company they bought:
June 25, 2019 Apple bought Drive.ai at 77 million the developer of self driving technology. February 15, 2019 PullString at 30 million, the developer of Voice Assistant. January 1, 2018 Laserlike at 150 million, provider of online search content engine. September 13, 2020 it again bought Vilynx at 50 million for developing video analytic tools. January 8, 2020 for 200 million they bought Xnor.ai for developer of machine learning software models for various applications. February 7, 2020 AI.Music for provider of an AI technique in music technology. February 28, 2020 Voysis for developer of voice AI platform. January 1, 2023 for WaveOne for developer of a digital image compression technology designed to create and process clear images. November 5, 2019 Spectral Edge for developer of image processing and enhancement technologies designed to improve pictures and videos on mass-market devices. January 15, 2021 Curious AI developer of process prediction, optimization and control tools designed to unlock new business opportunities for the organization.
These expenditures correspond with the company’s latest iPhone features, such as live voicemail, which is a real-time transcription of the message, and personal voice, which allows customers to record an artificial voice that sounds like them. However, Apple’s unwavering pursuit of bright young AI firms shows that it intends to take the lead in the coming years in the AI race—even as rivals like Microsoft and Google acquire more established AI businesses and technologies.
Subhangee Mandal