Apple discloses deal to hire team and license tech from personalized podcast startup Huxe
techcrunch ·
Apple has disclosed a regulatory filing revealing an agreement to hire employees and license technology from Huxe, a personalized audio startup. This arrangement is characterized as a reverse acqui-hire, allowing Apple to acquire talent and intellectual property without fully acquiring the company. The deal was reported to the European Commission shortly after Huxe announced its shutdown in May 2026. Huxe was founded by developers previously involved in AI-generated podcast features for NotebookLM. Although the filing does not specify which employees were offered positions or if they accepted, it confirms Apple received a non-exclusive license to Huxe's IP. Industry speculation suggests Apple may be integrating similar AI-powered podcast generation capabilities into its Podcasts app. This move follows Spotify's recent unveiling of comparable AI features in the personalized audio market.
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