TechCapsules

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Apple has quietly acquired two more companies, TrueMeeting and WhyLabs, in a move to boost its AI capabilities, particularly in relation to Apple Vision Pro and Apple Intelligence. TrueMeeting, a company that allows users to scan their faces using their iPhones and create a hyper-realistic digital twin, has been acquired by Apple. The company's CommonGround Human AI Technology integrates with various apps, including games and video conferencing, and it is believed that Apple acquired TrueMeeting to further develop the Apple Vision Pro's Personas feature. WhyLabs, on the other hand, focuses on monitoring AI large language models and preventing hallucinations. The company's technology tracks drift and performance degradations in these models, aiming to block security issues such as malicious misuse of generative AI. Apple's acquisition of these two companies is in line with its usual practice of buying firms to acquire their technology or staff. However, Apple rarely discloses its acquisitions unless it's advantageous to do so or required by regulations. Since 2023, the EU's Digital Markets Act has required companies like Apple, designated as Gatekeepers, to detail their acquisitions under certain circumstances. As a result, the European Commission publishes a list of such acquisitions, although the details are limited and the dates listed are when the deals are published, not when they actually take place. According to the EU's list, Apple acquired TrueMeeting and WhyLabs on January 24, 2025. However, it is likely that the deals were actually made in Q4 2024. Apple's acquisition of Pixelmator, for instance, was listed as February 11, 2025, although the deal was first revealed in November 2024. Apple's recent focus on AI firms suggests that the company is committed to advancing its AI capabilities, particularly in relation to Apple Vision Pro and Apple Intelligence. With the acquisition of TrueMeeting and WhyLabs, Apple is poised to improve the Personas feature of Apple Vision Pro and prevent AI hallucinations in its large language models.