Q.AI, situated in Tel Aviv, is a firm that pioneers computer vision tech for deciphering nonverbal signals and visages. The procurement of this budding enterprise signals Apple's ambition to rival prominent adversaries — Meta and OpenAI — in the pursuit of preeminence within the AI hardware arena.
Apple has frequently been perceived as allocating insufficient resources to its own AI offerings, notably its Siri voice assistant, while its competitors have broadened their AI platforms to unparalleled extents. In the prior year, the corporation also contemplated the takeover of large language model creators Perplexity and Mistral AI .
For Q.AI and its backers, the accord with Apple represented a noteworthy triumph amidst a demanding market for exits. Priced at roughly $2 billion (prior to dilution), the investment generated returns exceeding a 30x return multiplier for initial investors within a three-year timeframe. The startup’s preceding valuation hovered around $54 million , as per PitchBook data.
Q.AI disclosed that it had secured $24.2 million in an initial funding round in early 2023. The round was spearheaded by GV , Samsung Next , and Exor .
Notwithstanding the widespread escalation of curiosity in artificial intelligence, the AI-wearables domain has persistently presented issues for investors. Specifically, the Humane Pin AI contraption did not achieve market expectations, and Intel procured Humane's assets at a substantial reduction in price the previous year.
Nevertheless, market dynamics might undergo alteration. OpenAI , having consented to take over the AI device startup established by former Apple lead designer Jony Ive for $6.6 billion, intends to introduce its own hardware offering in the latter part of 2026. Furthermore, Meta obtained Limitless , a startup devising an AI pendant, the prior month.