Microsoft is reportedly in talks to purchase AI firm Nuance Communications for $16 billion USD (about $20 billion CAD).
Bloomberg reports that the companies may announce an agreement as soon as April 12th. However, it’s possible that the deal could still fall apart as talks are still ongoing.
The AI firm is known for making software for several industries ranging from healthcare to automotive. It’s worth noting that Nuance helped launch Apple’s Siri through its voice recognition technology.
Microsoft and Nuance have collaborated on several projects since 2019. The acquisition would allow Microsoft to accelerate the digitization of the healthcare industry.
This acquisition would mark the tech giant’s second-largest purchase. Microsoft’s largest acquisition was when it purchased LinkedIn in 2016 for $24 billion USD (about $30 billion CAD)
News about this possible acquisition comes as Microsoft is also reportedly in talks to purchase gaming chat platform Discord for more than $10 billion USD (about $12.5 billion CAD). Discord is reportedly interested in a sale and is currently exploring its options.
Microsoft is not the only tech giant looking to invest in AI, as Google and Amazon are both making significant investments into the technology.
Source: Bloomberg