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Apple buys Israeli startup Q.ai as the AI race heats up

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Apple Buys Israeli Startup Reportedly For 2 Billion That Reads Facial Micro Movements

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Apple’s second biggest acquisition ever is an AI company that listens to ‘silent speech’

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Apple acquires Q.ai for a reported $2 billion

The Jerusalem Post

Apple buys secretive Israeli AI company for $1.6 billion

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Apple acquires Israeli startup Q.ai

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Apple buys Israeli start-up Q.AI for close to $2bn in race to build AI devices

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Apple acquires Israeli AI startup q.ai in second deal with PrimeSense founder

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Future Apple Vision Pro Could Take Commands By Just Reading Your Lips

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Apple buys secretive Israeli facial surveillance startup Q.ai

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How US Big Tech supports Israels AI-powered genocide and apartheid

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There's a "wall of fear-mongering and doomerism" in the AI world right now.

"Worrying about AI today is like worrying about overpopulation on Mars."

Concerns that AI could pose a threat to humanity is "preposterously ridiculous."

Claiming AI poses an existential threat is "such an extreme" and risks "wip[ing] out some of its potential benefits."

"I'm more concerned about... the risks that are here and now [than the existential threat of AI]."

Current AI is "not anywhere close" to posing an existential threat but it could in the future.

AI is the "biggest existential threat" to humanity.

AGI's worst-case scenario would be "lights-out for all of us."

Powerful AI systems "taking control" pose an "existential threat."

AI has a "10 to 25 per cent" chance of destroying humanity.

"The most likely result of building a superhumanly smart AI... is that literally everyone on Earth will die."

Does AI Pose an Existential Threat to Humanity?

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"[T]here will be far greater jobs" thanks to AI and "the jobs of today will get better."

AI will probably "take over a lot of jobs," but could also "create new kinds of jobs"

"[W]e might witness the creation of a massive new unworking class."

AI "is not going to put a lot of people out of work permanently" but work will change.

AI might take away more than just "drudge work."

"AI software will be in direct competition with a lot of people for jobs."

"Automation and AI will take away pretty much all of our jobs."

Eventually, "AI will be able to do everything" and jobs will exist only for "personal satisfaction."

Will AI Replace All Jobs?

Apple confirmed the acquisition of Israeli startup Q.ai, reportedly worth $2 billion. The purchase represents Apple's second-largest acquisition in company history, following its $3 billion purchase of Beats Electronics in 2014.

Apple confirmed the acquisition of Israeli startup Q.ai, reportedly worth $2 billion. The purchase represents Apple's second-largest acquisition in company history, following its $3 billion purchase of Beats Electronics in 2014.

Q.ai was founded in 2022 by Aviad Maizels, Yonatan Wexler and Avi Barliya. Maizels previously founded PrimeSense, which Apple acquired in 2013 for approximately $350 million, and its technology became central to developing Apple's Face ID system.

Q.ai was founded in 2022 by Aviad Maizels, Yonatan Wexler and Avi Barliya. Maizels previously founded PrimeSense, which Apple acquired in 2013 for approximately $350 million, and its technology became central to developing Apple's Face ID system.

Patents filed by Q.ai show technology being used in headphones or glasses that utilizes facial skin micro movements for nonverbal communication. The system could potentially allow users to have private, non-verbal discussions with an AI assistant.

Patents filed by Q.ai show technology being used in headphones or glasses that utilizes facial skin micro movements for nonverbal communication. The system could potentially allow users to have private, non-verbal discussions with an AI assistant.

Johnny Srouji, Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies, said Q.ai is "pioneering" new ways to use imaging and machine learning. The startup's technology enables whisper-level speech and enhances audio in challenging environments.

Johnny Srouji, Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies, said Q.ai is "pioneering" new ways to use imaging and machine learning. The startup's technology  enables whisper-level speech and enhances audio in challenging environments.

Q.ai's investors include Kleiner Perkins, Spark Capital, Exor and GV (formerly Google Ventures), whose chief, Tom Hulme, wrote that the company believes machines are "finally learn[ing] to understand" humans rather than humans learning the language of machines.

Q.ai's investors include Kleiner Perkins, Spark Capital, Exor and GV (formerly Google Ventures), whose chief, Tom Hulme, wrote that the company believes machines are "finally learn[ing] to understand" humans rather than humans learning the language of machines.

This comes as Apple faces delays in deploying Apple Intelligence's full capabilities and recently announced a deal with Google to integrate its Gemini AI system. Some tech insiders have called on Apple to make significant acquisitions to compete.

This comes as Apple faces delays in deploying Apple Intelligence's full capabilities and recently announced a deal with Google to integrate its Gemini AI system. Some tech insiders have called on Apple to make significant acquisitions to compete.

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Apple's $2 billion acquisition of Q.ai represents a strategic leap forward in AI technology, bringing groundbreaking facial recognition capabilities that will enhance user experience across devices. The deal secures access to pioneering machine learning innovations that collapse the gap between human intent and digital execution, positioning Apple to finally catch up in the AI race after recent setbacks.

Apple's $2 billion acquisition of Q.ai represents a strategic leap forward in AI technology, bringing groundbreaking facial recognition capabilities that will enhance user experience across devices. The deal secures access to pioneering machine learning innovations that collapse the gap between human intent and digital execution, positioning Apple to finally catch up in the AI race after recent setbacks.

This massive acquisition imports Israeli surveillance technology directly into consumer devices, raising alarm about biometric monitoring and emotion detection embedded in everyday products. The deal extends a troubling pattern of Big Tech supporting Israeli apartheid infrastructure, now bringing facial micro-movement tracking and silent speech analysis into Apple's ecosystem during an ongoing genocide.

This massive acquisition imports Israeli surveillance technology directly into consumer devices, raising alarm about biometric monitoring and emotion detection embedded in everyday products. The deal extends a troubling pattern of Big Tech supporting Israeli apartheid infrastructure, now bringing facial micro-movement tracking and silent speech analysis into Apple's ecosystem during an ongoing genocide.

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Apple Acquires Q.ai for $2B in Second-Largest Deal

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This acquisition is a savvy leap in the AI race, boosting Apple’s ambitions in lip-reading, facial recognition, and more intuitive device control. The reported $2 billion deal underscores how successful Israeli startups have fueled innovation for global giants like Apple, helping it recover from setbacks and strengthen its future AI leadership.

This acquisition is a savvy leap in the AI race, boosting Apple’s ambitions in lip-reading, facial recognition, and more intuitive device control. The reported $2 billion deal underscores how successful Israeli startups have fueled innovation for global giants like Apple, helping it recover from setbacks and strengthen its future AI leadership.

Apple is importing Israeli surveillance-linked technology into consumer devices, raising alarms about biometric monitoring, emotion detection and facial micro-movement tracking embedded in everyday products. It also reflects a troubling pattern of Big Tech profiting off of and enabling Israel's unethical military tech industry.

Apple is importing Israeli surveillance-linked technology into consumer devices, raising alarms about biometric monitoring, emotion detection and facial micro-movement tracking embedded in everyday products. It also reflects a troubling pattern of Big Tech profiting off of and enabling Israel's unethical military tech industry.

Fabrice Coffrini/Getty Images

Apple Acquires Q.ai for Reported $2B in Second-Largest Deal

Fabrice Coffrini/Getty Images

Apple Acquires Q.ai for Reported $2B in Second-Largest Deal

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Apple Acquires Q.ai for Reported $2B in Second-Largest Deal

Apple Acquires Q.ai for Reported $2B in Second-Largest Deal

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Apple Acquires Q.ai for Reported $2B in Second-Largest Deal

Apple Acquires Q.ai for Reported $2B in Second-Largest Deal

The Spin

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Andreessen

Ng

LeCun

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Li

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Musk

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Lipson

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