Tech Report: Amazon acquires AI wearables firm, Microsoft poaches DeepMind talent

Amazon is expanding further into the wearable tech space with the acquisition of San Francisco-based startup Bee.

(LILAMAX)- Amazon is expanding further into the wearable tech space with the acquisition of San Francisco-based startup Bee. The company develops wearable AI devices—similar in function to Amazon’s Alexa, but designed to be worn like a Fitbit. Bee’s devices can listen to conversations and generate real-time summaries, reminders, and to-do lists. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Meanwhile, Microsoft is bolstering its AI capabilities by hiring talent from Google’s DeepMind research lab. According to CNBC, the company has recruited roughly two dozen employees, including key engineers and researchers who worked on Google’s AI assistant Gemini. Microsoft, which recently laid off about 9,000 workers, is investing heavily in its own AI assistant, Copilot.

Defense-related tech is also gaining momentum. Datavault AI has secured a new partnership with Burke Products, a supplier to Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and the Department of Defense. CEO Nate Bradley says Datavault AI will provide virtual reality simulations to test military equipment in extreme conditions. Global defense spending is expected to top $2.2 trillion next year, according to Janes.

 Arrive AI, a company focused on smart delivery systems, plans to triple its workforce—adding about 40 new employees, including AI scientists. The company is working to make secure deliveries to smart mailboxes via drones, robots, or human couriers more efficient.