Apple has acquired Israeli AI startup Q.ai, a company specialising in technology that can interpret facial movements to understand speech even when no sound is heard.

While Apple has not disclosed the price, multiple reports, including from the Financial Times, put the valuation close to US$2 billion (A$3 billion).

If confirmed, it would make Q.ai Apple’s second-largest acquisition ever, behind its 2014 purchase of Beats Electronics.

Founded in 2022, Q.ai develops imaging and machine learning technology that analyses subtle facial muscle movements as a person speaks.

The approach allows devices to interpret whispered or silent communication and enhance audio in noisy environments.

The startup was co-founded by Aviad Maizels (pictured), a familiar name inside Apple. Maizels previously founded PrimeSense, the 3D sensing company Apple acquired in 2013, whose technology later became central to Face ID on the iPhone.

Although Apple has not detailed how it plans to use the technology, analysts expect it to feed into AI-powered audio features across products such as AirPods, Siri and FaceTime.

Apple has already added live translation and advanced noise awareness to AirPods, and earbuds are increasingly viewed across the industry as a key AI hardware platform.

Q.ai’s technology could also have applications in future smart glasses or headsets, building on Apple’s work with Vision Pro and spatial computing. Patents linked to the startup reference the use of “facial skin micro-movements” to enable communication without speaking.

Q.ai was backed by high-profile investors including Google Ventures, Kleiner Perkins and Spark Capital. Its founding team, including Maizels, will join Apple as part of the deal.