Tech Giants Hungry For The World’s AI And Machine Learning Talent Pool
In a quest to create the best AI solutions for the emerging consumer needs, Microsoft, Google, Intel, Apple, Salesforce, many and more tech giants went on a high-profile, and expensive startup acquisition spree last year, focusing mostly on AI and machine learning technology.
It is interesting to note that the battle for tech dominance fueled by acquisition is a trend that has been evolving for years. Tech companies have been quietly snapping up dozens of smaller artificial intelligence and deep learning startups over the last few years. Nearly 140 companies working to advance AI technology have been acquired since 2011, including 40 buyouts in just 2016, with tech giants including Microsoft, Google and Apple spending over $128.5 billion on these acquisitions.
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Advancements in AI and machine learning technology continues to be one of the fastest changing sectors on the global stage. Increasingly, services and products are becoming more AI-based — chatbots, personal assistants like Siri, Google Now, and Cortana, self-driving cars, predictive analytics algorithm in search engines and eCommerce websites, and smart home appliances are just a few of the most obvious examples. With the changing market requirements, and consumers demanding constant innovation, strategic alliances and acquisitions have proven to be the most effective ways for the tech companies to remain dominant in their sectors.
The Big Five Race To Dominate The Tech Space
MICROSOFT
2016 was dominated by Microsoft’s acquisition of LinkedIn. However, in order to fuel its AI aspirations, Microsoft recently acquired Maluuba, a Canada-based deep learning research lab dedicated to understanding ‘natural learning’.
Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai is the most prolific acquirers in the tech space and is clearly on the prowl for AI and deep learning talent. The company snapped up 13 startups last year including image recognition startup called Moodstocks and API.AI, that helps developers build bots by providing them with tools such as speech recognition, intent recognition and context management, while allowing them to provide domain-specific knowledge.
INTEL
Intel paid more than $400 million to buy deep learning technology startup Nervana Systems and the computer vision startup Itseez to improve navigation in self-driving cars, indicating that it means to increase its foothold in the field of automated driving. Intel is already manufacturing chips, software, and a development kit for self-driving cars.
APPLE
Apple has gobbled up San Diego-based Emotient, a startup whose technology can read facial expressions. It has also silently acquired an India/US-based machine learning technology startup called Tuplejump last year. And yet, its acquisition of Turi, a machine learning company was the most talked-about topic among the tech analysts.
SALESFORCE
Salesforce is considered one of the first and most pre-eminent SaaS companies. It recently acquired PredictionIO, a startup based out of Palo Alto that had developed an open source-based machine learning server to build up its own technology in machine learning and big data analytics. In order to extend its data science capabilities by embedding deep learning within its platform, Salesforce also acquired Khosla Ventures-backed MetaMind, yet another Palo Alto-based AI startup. Salesforce is looking out for companies that can be quickly integrated into existing product lines and plans to further automate and personalize customer support, marketing, and other major business processes.
Most of the tech companies gunning to be the industry leaders are constantly investing in innovation and growth. And hence, the trend of takeovers and acquisitions across the tech space refuses to die. In order to stay relevant, and to avoid being leapfrogged by competitors, tech giants reveal a desire to innovate at an alarming rate with acquisitions being an effective way to instantly gain AI and machine learning technology, talent and expertise.
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