Apple confirmed Thursday that it has acquired Q.ai, an Israeli artificial intelligence startup focused on machine learning for audio and communication—marking a second sale to Apple by founder Aviad Maizels, who previously led PrimeSense, acquired by Apple in 2013 in a deal widely estimated at about $350 million. The purchase price for Q.ai was not disclosed by Apple. The Financial Times reported the acquisition was valued at $2 billion. Q.ai’s founding team—including Maizels, co-founder and CTO Dr. Yonatan Wexler, and co-founder Dr. Avi Barliya—will join Apple.

Audio AI and “Silent Speech” Patents

Apple said Q.ai develops machine learning applications aimed at improving audio and communication experiences, including helping devices interpret whisper-level speech and enhancing audio in challenging environments.

While Q.ai has maintained a low public profile, patent documents tied to the company describe systems that analyze minute facial skin movements to infer speech intent—including so-called “silent speech,” where words could be decoded from muscle motion without audible vocalization. One patent filing describes using coherent light and sensors to detect facial micromovements associated with speech before sound is produced, enabling transcription and device actions based on those signals.

The capabilities described in those filings could be applied to wearables such as AirPods and Apple’s Vision Pro headset, and potentially to Siri improvements—areas where Apple has been pushing deeper into AI-driven user experiences.

A Familiar Founder and Growing Israel Footprint

Maizels founded Q.ai in 2022 after leaving Apple, alongside Wexler—formerly an executive in R&D at OrCam—and AI researcher Barliya. Investors disclosed in Israeli tech reporting include Kleiner Perkins and Alphabet’s Gradient Ventures, along with funds Aleph, Matter, Exor and Corner Ventures.

In statements carried by multiple outlets, Apple hardware technologies chief Johny Srouji called Q.ai “an exceptional company” pioneering new ways to use imaging and machine learning, while Maizels said joining Apple would open “extraordinary possibilities” to scale the technology.