Apple plans to buy German AI startup to strengthen its Vision Pro: Report

Apple is planning to acquire Brighter AI, a German startup, according to a media report.

In an era where privacy concerns are escalating, Apple’s reported plan to acquire Brighter AI, which specializes in advanced data anonymization techniques, marks a significant step toward enhancing user privacy.

Brighter AI has been recognized for its pioneering technology that anonymizes faces and license plates in images without blurring, promising to revolutionize privacy features in Apple’s products, primarily the Apple Vision Pro.

Privacy concerns

Unlike capturing footage with an iPhone, which is overt and conspicuous, Vision Pro offers a more discreet method of recording, raising unique privacy concerns.

Apple’s existing technology for blurring faces and license plates in Apple Maps imagery underscores the company’s proactive approach to privacy, having refined its image blurring technology through extensive test drives across the US and Europe in 2015.

The significance of the acquisition

The acquisition of Brighter AI is poised to bring a transformative approach to anonymizing personal data in Apple’s ecosystem. Brighter AI’s technology goes beyond traditional blurring, offering a method that makes subjects in images unrecognizable while preserving their natural appearance.

This technology could significantly enhance privacy features in Apple Vision Pro and potentially be integrated into future devices, setting a new standard for privacy in photo and video capture.

Brighter AI’s technology

Founded in 2017 and last funded in February 2023, Brighter AI stands out with its Deep Natural Anonymization 2.0 technology. This innovative approach alters images to anonymize individuals’ identities effectively without the loss of image quality associated with blurring.

The technology’s ability to retain the natural look of images while ensuring privacy has wide-ranging applications, from Apple Vision Pro to other facets of Apple’s product lineup, including Apple Maps.

Apple officially launched Vision Pro in the US on February 2. It starts at $3,500. The company has announced more than 600 applications and games designed for the VisionPro headset.

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