Apple is reportedly acquiring French AI startup Datakalab, a company whose primary technologies are algorithm compression and computer vision.
According to a report by French media outlet Challenges, Apple quietly completed the acquisition of Datakalab in December 2023. Apple has notified the EU about the operational change, but the transaction amount is unknown.
Datakalab was founded in 2017 by brothers Xavier and Lucas Fischer. Before being acquired by Apple, the company has around a dozen employees. The company's LinkedIn page describes its technology as "Industry-leading compression and adaptation to deploy embedded computer vision that is fast, cost-effective, and precise."
Datakalab partnered with the French government in May 2020 to deploy AI tools to check whether people were wearing face masks on public transportation systems. The company also worked with companies like Disney in the past.
In 2023, Apple acquired WaveOne, another AI startup that is also focused on image compression technology. With the WWDC in June fast approaching, the market expects to see more AI technology on iOS and future iPhones.
