Technology group Microsoft is about to close a billion-dollar deal in artificial intelligence (AI) and speech technology. The company has now also formally confirmed this.
Insiders report to Bloomberg news agency that the American company is conducting extensive talks to acquire the US-based Nuance Communications.
The acquisition would cost $ 16 billion. Nuance previously helped tech giant Apple with the launch of its voice-activated assistant Siri. The company makes software for various sectors, including healthcare and the automotive industry. The company’s speech technology itself comes in part from an acquisition of the defunct Lernout and Hauspie.
According to the sources, the takeover could already be announced to the world on Monday. If it comes to a deal, it will be the second-largest takeover of Microsoft ever. In 2016, the group paid $ 26.2 billion for the acquisition of LinkedIn.
Microsoft has meanwhile agreed with Nuance to acquire the company. It says so in a statement. Microsoft will buy out Nuance’s stock for $ 56 per share, bringing Nuance’s value to about $ 20 billion.
Nuance CEO Mark Benjamin will remain on board under Scott Guthrie, executive vice president of Cloud and AI at Microsoft.
