French publication Challenges (via iPhoneSoft) has announced that Apple has acquired Datakalab, a French AI firm specializing in on-device processing, aligning with its commitment to enhance privacy and data security.
Although the transaction’s exact financials are unknown, this action most likely forms part of Apple’s larger plan to integrate more advanced AI technology into its products, including those that are anticipated to launch with iOS 18.
Datakalab bills itself as an expert in embedded artificial intelligence systems and algorithm compression.
Completed on December 17 of last year, the acquisition was executed in secrecy, but according to iPhoneSoft, it was documented in a file found by the French publication Challenges that belonged to the European Commission.
Xavier and Lucas Fischer launched the company in 2016, and since then, it has made significant strides in AI technology with an emphasis on low power.
These deep learning algorithms are highly efficient and do not depend on cloud-based infrastructure.
This approach aligns with Apple’s often-stated commitment to user privacy, data security, and reliable performance because it processes data locally, which lowers the risk of data breaches and speeds up processing.
Before being acquired, Datakalab worked on several well-known projects, such as partnerships with Disney and the French government.
The firm created facial recognition and visual data analysis technology that was eventually used to track crowd reactions in real time during movie screenings.
Apple’s LLM, unlike the majority of current AI services, will operate only on-device, according to a recent report by Mark Gurman of Bloomberg. Gurman proposed that Apple might “fill in the gaps” by licencing technology from Google and other AI service providers, even if the company’s AI tools might not always be as powerful as those of its direct cloud-based competitors. We earlier reported that Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, is currently on a whirlwind tour of Southeast Asia and is in Singapore with plans to invest a quarter of a billion dollars in the country.
