Apple Has Reportedly Acquired Silk Labs

Apple has acquired Silk Labs, a startup that specializes in artificial intelligence software that runs on-device, reports The Information.

The acquisition, which hasn’t been reported before, occurred earlier this year, according to a person briefed on the transaction. The deal was likely a small one for Apple, as Silk Labs only had about a dozen employees and raised approximately $4 million in funding, according to PitchBook, a research firm that tracks startup financing. Apple and Silk Labs have spoken in the past of similar preferences for more privacy-friendly AI that runs locally on personal devices. AI that runs in the cloud, in contrast, can allow companies to collect large amounts of personal data.

Silk Labs says that by leveraging the latest advances in deep learning research it offers state-of-the-art image and audio recognition


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People Detection
Accurately detect the presence of a person in a variety of environments. Whether it be in the home, outdoors, or in a store, Silk’s algorithms can detect a person under varying lighting conditions and occlusions.
● Know where people are spending their time in a retail store
● Detect when someone has entered your yard or front porch
● Save power and storage by only recording when a person is seen

Facial Recognition
Silk’s algorithms can recognize specific faces without a clumsy enrollment or training process. A single image is enough to identify the same individual over time.
● Add face recognition as part of multi-factor authentication for access control
● Recognize who’s coming home without training on specific faces
● Instantly search cameras at a shopping mall to find your missing child
● Be alerted when someone else attempts to gain access to your vehicle

Object Detection
Reliably identify any object using Silk’s deep learning-based algorithms. Leverage pre-trained models or use Silk’s tools to easily create your own object detection model.
● Know when your dog is misbehaving and has jumped onto your couch
● Count the vehicles that have entered a parking lot
● Create custom models for your specific application

Audio Detection
Audio cues are often just as important as visual indicators. Silk’s algorithm can detect unique audio signals to understand when a specific sound is heard.
● Detect when your baby is crying to trigger a lullaby
● Recognize when someone has broken a glass window in your store or home
● Know when people are yelling to be alerted of commotion
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More details in the full report linked below.

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