Apple’s silent AI could replace Hey Siri, and it can even read your lips

Apple might be preparing to retire one of tech’s most recognisable wake phrases. According to reports from Financial Times and Reuters, Apple has acquired Israeli AI startup Q.ai for around $2 billion, marking its biggest purchase since Beats. The move hints at a future where you will not need to say “Hey Siri” at all. Instead, you may simply mouth the words.

Q.ai develops machine learning systems capable of analysing micro-movements in facial skin, lip motion and subtle muscle activity. Its technology can detect silently mouthed speech, emotional expressions and even physiological signals such as heart rate and breathing patterns. In practical terms, that opens the door to interacting with Apple devices without making a sound.

AirPods that watch your lips

Industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has previously suggested that camera-enabled AirPods could land in 2026, potentially using infrared sensors similar to the depth-mapping system behind Face ID. Pair that hardware with Q.ai’s algorithms and you have the makings of discreet, lip-based control.

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Imagine sending a message on a crowded train without speaking. Skipping a track in a meeting without whispering to your earbuds. Triggering Siri without announcing it to the room. The appeal is obvious, particularly in public or shared spaces where voice assistants can feel awkward.

There is precedent here. Q.ai founder Aviad Maizels also co-founded PrimeSense, the 3D sensing company whose technology eventually evolved into Apple’s Face ID system. Apple has a history of buying specialist sensor firms and quietly weaving their work into its ecosystem.

The implications extend beyond earbuds. Apple Vision Pro and future smart glasses could also benefit from silent input, offering more natural interaction in augmented environments where speaking out loud may not always make sense.

For now, Apple has not confirmed the acquisition publicly, nor detailed how Q.ai’s technology will surface in products. But if the reports are accurate, the company’s AI ambitions are moving closer to the body.

The shift from voice to silent facial input may not arrive overnight, yet the direction is clear. The era of speaking to your devices could gradually give way to something quieter.