Apple’s AI Push Amid Competition From Meta and Google

Apple has acquired Israeli AI startup Q.ai for nearly $2 billion, its biggest purchase since Beats in 2014. Q.ai’s technology decodes facial muscle movements to enable “silent speech,” offering groundbreaking applications in wearables and AI assistants. The acquisition strengthens Apple’s position in the AI race, bringing expertise that could enhance Siri and future devices, while competing with Meta, Google, and OpenAI in the fast-growing AI-powered wearables market.

Jan 31, 2026 0 53

Apple’s AI Push Amid Competition From Meta and Google

Apple has made its largest acquisition in a decade, buying Israeli AI firm Q.ai for nearly $2 billion. The startup specializes in facial recognition technology that interprets micro facial muscle movements to decode “silent speech,” enabling devices to understand what users intend to say without audible words.

Founded just four years ago by Aviad Maizels, who previously sold PrimeSense to Apple (the foundation of Face ID), Q.ai brings its entire founding team into Apple, including Yonatan Wexler and Avi Barliya. Their patented technology has applications in wearables like headphones and smart glasses, allowing private, non-verbal interactions with AI assistants such as Siri.

Apple’s hardware chief Johny Srouji praised Q.ai as “a remarkable company pioneering new ways to use imaging and machine learning.” The acquisition comes as Apple faces stiff competition from Meta’s AI-powered Ray-Ban smart glasses and advances by Google and OpenAI in conversational AI.

The deal aligns with Apple’s roadmap to strengthen its AI capabilities across devices. With AirPods already offering live translation and Vision Pro exploring facial muscle detection, Q.ai’s expertise could finally give Siri the intelligence boost it needs, while positioning Apple at the forefront of AI-powered wearables.