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

SAN FRANCISCO: Apple is planning to acquire a German AI startup -- Brighter AI, specialising in anonymising face and licence plate data, a media report has said.

According to 9to5Mac, citing sources, the tech giant aims to use this acquisition to improve privacy features on its mixed reality (MR) headset Vision Pro.

Apple is reportedly considering using Brighter AI’s technology to minimise the risk of Apple Vision Pro capturing identifiable information in public photos or videos.

These concerns are usually not present while using an iPhone to capture footage. However, Apple Vision Pro may raise concerns because it can shoot video more discreetly than smartphones.

This technology could also be useful in future devices that make photo and video capture less noticeable. When capturing media with Vision Pro, a subtle visual cue appears on the front panel, the report mentioned.

Brighter AI offers sophisticated AI technology that can remove all traces of data without obscuring it, making the acquisition of the company of particular interest. The method used by Brighter AI keeps subjects' natural appearance while maintaining their unrecognisability, according to the report.

Instead, Brighter AI can alter images so that subjects are no longer identifiable. It accomplishes this while maintaining natural appearances.

Meanwhile, Apple officially launched Vision Pro in the US on February 2. It starts at $3,500.

The tech giant has announced more than 600 apps and games designed for the Apple Vision Pro headset.