Apple Acquires French AI Company Specializing in On-Device Processing

[MacRumors]

Apple has acquired the Paris-based artificial intelligence startup Datakalab amid its push to deliver on-device AI tools.

Datakalab specializes in algorithm compression and embedded AI systems. The acquisition, finalized on December 17 last year, was quietly conducted but noted in a European Commission filing spotted by French publication Challenges (via iPhoneSoft). While the financial details of the transaction remain undisclosed, the move is almost certainly part of Apple's broader strategy to bring more sophisticated AI technology to its devices, such as those expected to be introduced in iOS 18.

The company was established in 2016 by Xavier and Lucas Fischer and made significant strides in AI technology focusing on low-power, high-efficiency deep learning algorithms that function without relying on cloud-based systems. This approach aligns with Apple's oft-touted commitment to user privacy, data security, and reliable performance, as processing data locally minimizes the risk of data breaches and ensures faster processing times. The startup's expertise in compressing neural networks to work effectively on portable devices like smartphones and tablets is likely a key factor in Apple's interest.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman recently reported that Apple's LLM will run entirely on-device, rather than via the cloud like most existing AI services. Apple's AI tools may be less capable in certain instances than its direct cloud-based rivals, but Gurman suggested that the company could "fill in the gaps" by licensing technology from Google and other AI service providers.

Before its acquisition, Datakalab engaged in various high-profile projects, including collaborations with the French government and Disney. The company developed technology capable of analyzing human emotions by facial recognition and visual data, which were later used to monitor audience reactions in real-time during cinema screenings. The first look at Apple's new AI strategy is widely anticipated to arrive alongside previews of its next-generation operating systems at WWDC in early June.

Article Link: Apple Acquires French AI Company Specializing in On-Device Processing

 

[bodhisattva]

WWDC is certainly going to be interesting this year!

 

[Tito360]

Takes like 10 years for Apple to implement something

 

[Torty]

So apple tries to catch up in buying other companies. Takes time to integrate and get results. Seems not enough know how available in-house.
Can’t be too much for iOS 18.

 

[yuhaocc]

Misleading article title. Datakalab is a company specialized in computer vision, the important part should not be focused on on-device AI computing. Such technology would be more useful for Vision Pro and other image processing technology rather than LLM AIs.

 

[Account25476]

Instead of developing the technology on its own, it purchases other startups.
Nothing wrong, mind you, but it says a lot about the company. Regard the IA Apple is clearly behind all the others, WWDC24 will be an important test for them. To see if it has still time to be part of this game or not.

 

[alchemistmuffin]

I’m guessing Apple confirmed with the usual statement? (Which is “Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans”)

 

[vicviper789]

Sad that apple can't make their own tech anymore

 

[WWPD]

Oh great, the French.

Hey Siri, what is today's weather?

"Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries."

 

[boswald]

I'm sure the inevitable "doom 'n' gloom" pain train will plow right through this article (like everything else), but I, for one, am glad they're branching out and buying up important startups to expand their AI efforts. Yes, it's not homegrown, but at least they're putting forth the effort.

 

[PeterKeller]

I fear all this AI talk is simply required to keep the stock price in the same league as all of the other tech companies that are doing stuff with AI. MacBook Air "Best Laptop for AI". What? Why would you even say that? Oh, because it's a buzzword.

 

[cdsapplefan]

This AI thing from Apple is looking to be as big as there Apple Vision Pro headset project but not as secretive. Hopefully 🤞 they will make a big announcement at WWDC without too many delays. Apple is buying AI companies like it’s no tomorrow

 

[DelayedGratificationGene]

I'm sure the inevitable "doom 'n' gloom" pain train will plow right through this article (like everything else), but I, for one, am glad they're branching out and buying up important startups to expand their AI efforts. Yes, it's not homegrown, but at least they're putting forth the effort.

Yup the first 10 posts on anything are always Apple is doomed! Lol. Agreed Apple does both innovate and incorporate effectively.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Hopefully they don't "Siri it"

 

[macvicta]

Instead of developing the technology on its own, it purchases other startups.
Nothing wrong, mind you, but it says a lot about the company. Regard the IA Apple is clearly behind all the others, WWDC24 will be an important test for them. To see if it has still time to be part of this game or not.

All of those other companies buy startups, too. You just don’t pay attention because it’s not Apple. No tech conglomerate is doing it all on their own.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Sad that apple can't make their own tech anymore

They can't even make good Apps anymore, let alone full blown tech

 

[McTool]

Sad that apple can't make their own tech anymore

Never heard of Xerox?
Many of its innovations such as the graphical user interface, a mouse, and document-centric computing, were taken from the Alto computer developed at Xerox PARC

 

[McTool]

Instead of developing the technology on its own, it purchases other startups.
Nothing wrong, mind you, but it says a lot about the company. Regard the IA Apple is clearly behind all the others, WWDC24 will be an important test for them. To see if it has still time to be part of this game or not.

Many of its innovations such as the graphical user interface, a mouse, and document-centric computing, were taken from the Alto computer developed at Xerox PARC.
Siri: It was co-founded by Dag Kittlaus, Tom Gruber, and UCLA alumnus Adam Cheyer. Kittlaus named Siri after a co-worker in Norway; the name is a short form of the name Sigrid, from Old Norse Sigríðr, composed of the elements sigr "victory" and fríðr "beautiful".

 

[BigDO]

WWDC is certainly going to be interesting this year!

do you think bookies will be taking odds on how long it will take Apple to make this product as dumb as they did with Siri after they originally acquired it?

 

[backstreetboy]

Takes like 10 years for Apple to implement something

Same time Google would kill and resurrect it 5 times under different names.

 

[Rogifan]

I fear all this AI talk is simply required to keep the stock price in the same league as all of the other tech companies that are doing stuff with AI. MacBook Air "Best Laptop for AI". What? Why would you even say that? Oh, because it's a buzzword.

A year or two ago Apple rarely if ever used AI. Now every other word out of execs mouths and marketing copy references AI. But how does AI benefit Apple financially outside of limiting it to new hardware (with the hope it forces upgrades) or charging for AI specific features?

 

[Thunderstrike76]

Sad that apple can't make their own tech anymore

Tell me you don’t know the history of Apple without telling me you don’t know the history of Apple.

 

[adamw]

More Intellectual property for Apple acquired by this company's purchase. Hope they put this to good use.

 

[Octavius8]

Usually buys them and never incorporates that tech. Just spending money and making the previous owners rich and the employees frustrated.

 

[Fuzzball84]

It really would be interesting if in say 20 or 30 years someone writes a book... and we discover that Apple hadn't been designing anything for decades... they just had a department or division that bought designs or other companies 🤔