Apple has acquired a Paris-based startup that specialises in artificial intelligence compression and computer vision technology. The deal was finalised in December and later notified to the European Commission, per a report by French business magazine, Challenges.
The acquisition represents a significant investment for Apple, which took 100% stake in the company founded seven years ago by brothers Xavier and Lucas Fischer, the report said. The exact value of the deal is, however, has not been disclosed.
Prior to the acquisition the company had 10-20 employee, and described itself as an “expert in low power, runtime efficient, and deep learning algorithms,” that works on device.
Datakalab is reported to have multiple patents related to AI compression and vision technology. And while the founders of the startup did not join Apple, multiple other employees did make the jump.
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The news comes even as Apple is expected to load iOS 18 with AI features that can be accessed offline and on-device, that are expected to be launched later this year.
The acquisition is also expected to play a role in further development of Apple’s Vision Pro, launched earlier this year. The startup’s advanced facial recognition technology could also contribute to improvements in Apple’s photos and Face ID features.
