Apple close to acquiring Prompt AI’s team and computer-vision technology

Apple is nearing a deal to acquire the talent and technology of Prompt AI, a small computer-vision startup whose founders include UC Berkeley researchers Tete Xiao and Trevor Darrell, according to people familiar with the matter. The 11-person company told staff the transaction is pending and that investors won’t be made whole; its Seemour home-security camera app will be retired and user data deleted. The move underscores Apple’s preference for targeted acquihires to bolster AI capabilities—likely within HomeKit—rather than large-scale deals, even as rivals pursue splashier transactions. Apple’s AI push has lagged in generative features, though it has found traction in vision-based tech in products like Vision Pro; the company’s shares are down this year as investors await a clearer AI roadmap. Prompt drew interest from other suitors, including Elon Musk’s xAI and Neuralink, executives told employees.

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