Did Apple Secretly Acquire Jeff Bezos-Backed WhyLabs After Its $10M Series A to Compete in the AI Arms Race Against Google, OpenAI, and Microsoft?

Apple has reportedly completed a stealth acquisition of WhyLabs, a Seattle-based AI startup known for its real-time monitoring and security solutions for AI applications. Founded in 2019 and spun out of the Allen Institute for AI, WhyLabs has gained recognition for its observability platform, particularly after upgrading it for generative AI security. Though not officially announced, indicators suggest the acquisition is confirmed, with Perry Wu listing it on LinkedIn as “Acq by Apple.” WhyLabs, co-founded by experienced AI professionals from Amazon and Cloudflare, raised $10 million in a 2021 Series A round, attracting investment from notable figures like Jeff Bezos. This acquisition aligns with Apple’s strategic investments in on-device AI features and its efforts to bolster its presence in the Seattle tech hub, where it has previously acquired other AI firms. The deal may enhance Apple’s competitive edge against industry giants like OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

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