Apple Acquires Q.ai to Advance Invisible Interface Vision

• Apple has acquired stealth startup Q.ai in its second-largest acquisition to date.
• Q.ai’s founding team includes veterans behind PrimeSense, OrCam, and SpaceIL.

Apple has acquired Q.ai, a stealth audio AI startup backed by GV and others, as first reported by Reuters. The transaction is being described as Apple's second-largest acquisition ever. Founded in 2022, Q.ai has been developing systems that interpret human behavior with little to no input, aiming to eliminate the need for traditional interfaces. According to Reuters, the company filed a patent in 2025 to analyze facial micromovements to detect speech, identify users, and monitor emotional and physiological signals.

This marks the second time CEO Aviad Maizels has built a company acquired by Apple. His previous venture, PrimeSense, created the depth-sensing technology behind Microsoft’s Kinect and was acquired by Apple in 2013. That technology became foundational for Apple’s Face ID and depth camera systems.

According to a blog post from GV, Q.ai’s acquisition fits well with Apple’s continued investment in what it has long called “invisible interface” design or technology that blends seamlessly into daily life. "By joining Apple, Q’s technology has the potential to reach billions of people, fundamentally changing how we connect with one another. I’ve always been curious about what happens when the computer finally “disappears” into our daily lives," said Tom Holmes, managing partner at GV.

🌀 Tom’s Take:

We’re going to be talking to AI a lot more, and voice is becoming the dominant input. Investing in ways for computing to interpret that input in smarter, more human ways just feels right.

Source: Reuters / GV