Apple has acquired Israeli AI startup Q.ai, a company specialising in technology that can interpret facial movements to understand speech even when no sound is heard. While Apple has not disclosed the price, multiple reports, including from the Financial Times, put the valuation close to US$2 billion (A$3 billion). Founded in 2022, Q.ai develops imaging and machine learning technology that analyses subtle facial muscle movements as a person speaks. Maizels previously founded PrimeSense, the 3D sensing company Apple acquired in 2013, whose technology later became central to Face ID on the iPhone. Its founding team, including Maizels, will join Apple as part of the deal.