According to reports, Apple quietly acquired Datakalab, a French startup specializing in artificial intelligence (AI), last December. Although neither company made it public, the French magazine Challenges discovered the acquisition in a filing with the European Commission.
There is little doubt that this acquisition is part of Apple's strategy to focus on AI. According to a report from Statista, Apple acquired a whopping 32 AI startups last year. Founded in 2016, Datakalab specializes in highly efficient deep-learning algorithms that can run on low power and without relying on cloud-based systems.
Such an approach aligns with Apple's desire and goal to keep AI processes strictly on-device to keep customers' data safe and out of the cloud. Before the acquisition, Datakalab worked with the French government and Disney.
The company developed technologies used during cinema screenings to analyze audience reactions in real time.