Google and Apple are in a tight race to acquire the most promising AI startups

Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming an integral part of every tech company's strategy, so it's no surprise that big firms are ramping up their acquisition of AI startups. M&A activity has already seen a fivefold increase in the number of AI startup acquisitions -- from 22 in 2013 to 115 in 2017. While the race is far from over, Google and Apple have acquired the most AI startups since 2012. With close to 14 acquisitions, Google is currently leading the charge to buy AI startups. The company's most recent acquisition involves the conversational commerce platform Banter, which helps businesses connect with their customers over popular messaging platforms like Facebook Messenger, Twitter, and Snapchat.