Apple Acquires Machine Learning Startup Inductiv

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) has acquired Inductiv, a machine-learning (ML) start-up that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to automatically identify and correct errors that may be lurking in data, according to a Bloomberg report. This marks the second such acquisition in as many months aimed at improving the functionality of Siri, the iPhone's voice-activated digital assistant. The company confirmed the deal using its typical boilerplate language, saying that Apple "buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans." ML is a branch of AI that helps computers learn tasks without being specifically programmed for them. The systems use sophisticated algorithms to sift through reams of data, finding patterns that might otherwise be missed, and drawing conclusions based on what it finds.