Apple close to acquiring talent and technology from computer vision startup Prompt AI

Apple is close to acquiring technology and engineers from Prompt AI, a startup specializing in computer vision. Founded by Tete Xiao, a UC Berkeley PhD in computer science, and Trevor Darrell, a co-founder of the Berkeley AI Research lab, Prompt AI’s investors are expected to recover some funds, but not their full investment, according to executives at a Thursday all-hands meeting.
Lora Kolodny for CNBC:
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Apple is in late-stage talks to acquire top talent from computer vision startup Prompt AI, as well as the company’s technology, CNBC has learned.
Leadership at Prompt told employees of the pending transaction at an all-hands meeting on Thursday and said that those who don’t end up joining Apple will be paid a reduced salary, and encouraged to apply for open roles at the company, according to audio that was accessed by CNBC.
The 11-person company was approached by other potential suitors, including Elon Musk’s xAI and Neuralink, executives said in the meeting.
Investors will get paid some money in the deal but “won’t be made whole,” executives said in the meeting. Prompt employees were asked to refrain from mentioning Apple until further notice while searching for other jobs or updating friends and family on their situation.
Prompt’s flagship app, Seemour, connects to home security cameras, adding sophisticated capabilities. The technology helps cameras detect specific people, pets and other animals or objects around a household, and to send alerts and text-based descriptions of unusual activity or answer questions about what’s been happening in front of the camera.
Xiao told employees at the meeting that while Prompt AI’s technology and the Seemour app were working well, the business model wasn’t. The company is retiring the Seemour app, and plans to inform users their data will be deleted and privacy protected, executives said.

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MacDailyNews Take: Apple looks poised to (finally) get very serious about smart home accessories and applications!

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