Apple acquires artificial intelligence company in photo management

Apple has acquired Perceptio, a company developing artificial intelligence systems that can run locally without having to share any further data. At first glance, photo recognition software seems to be the main application.

The software that Perceptio develops uses deep learning of photo classifications. Perceptio’s goal was to develop techniques that would allow an AI classification system to run on smartphones without pulling data from a large, external data repository. That fits in with Apple’s strategy to reduce the use of customer data and to perform as much as possible on their ‘own device’, Bloomberg writes.

Apple has confirmed the acquisition, but has declined to comment further on what the deal entails. Apple’s only response to Bloomberg has been that from time to time the company acquires smaller businesses without commenting on the plans.

Perceptio founders Nicolas Pinto and Zak Stone were figuring out how to create artificial intelligence systems that could ensure privacy and how it would make complex neural network algorithms work on smartphones. Before Apple took over, the founders were working on facial recognition techniques, according to an interview with Pinto and Stone last year in Re/code.

Last week, Apple also acquired a company called VocallQ, a British startup involved in speech recognition technology.