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Apple buys another AI startup to make Siri better

Apple has taken over the AI startup Laserlike. The technology of the provider should benefit especially Siri.

With Laserlike Apple has taken over the end of 2018, a small California machine learning startup. This reports the information, citing insiders. Laserlike was founded four years ago by three former Google developers. The startup app of the same name uses machine learning to provide users with information tailored to their specific interests. However, with the acquisition, the app has disappeared from play and app stores.

According to the information, the Laserlike team is now part of Apple’s AI department. There, his know-how should flow into the language assistance system Siri. According to media reports, the Siri team has in the past had a hard time keeping AI talents permanently attached to the project. As a result, Siri fell behind in comparison to the rival systems of Google and Amazon more and more. Apparently, Apple is now trying this shortcoming by Acqui-hires, so take over for talent acquisition, make up for it.

Also taken over Pullstring

In addition to Laserlike, Apple has recently taken over Pullstring. Startup helps companies develop voice-based applications. At the end of 2018, Apple also bought another KI startup with Silk Lab. The startup specializes in facial, object and noise detection. Overall, Apple has taken over 18 companies last year. The group does not reveal which details are involved. Accordingly, there may be more AI startups among them.

In early 2018, Apple launched Homepod, the first Siri based smart speaker on the market. But it still has a hard time against Amazon and Google’s competing products. According to market research firm Strategy Analytics, Apple’s share of global smart speaker sales in the fourth quarter of 2018 was only 4.9 percent. That should not only be due to the rather high price of the Homepods, but also to its comparatively small range of functions.


Also published on Medium.

Published inArtificial Intelligence (AI)Startups
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