Apple discloses deal to hire team and license technology from AI podcast start-up Huxe
An EU filing shows Apple will offer jobs to some Huxe employees and take a non-exclusive licence to its technology. Huxe was started by people who worked on AI podcast features in NotebookLM.
How this story was checked
- ResearchedWith AI assistance · 2 sources
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- Editor approvalMayank Sahu · 12 Oct, 12:49
- Published12 Oct, 12:49
In short
Apple disclosed in a filing with the European Commission that it will make job offers to some employees of AI podcast start-up Huxe and take a non-exclusive licence to its intellectual property. TechCrunch reported the filing on 10 October 2026; no deal value was disclosed.
What Apple disclosed
Apple told the European Commission it will make employment offers to “certain employees of Huxe AI” and “receive a non-exclusive license to Huxe’s intellectual property rights”, TechCrunch reported on 10 October 2026.1 MLex reported on 9 October that Apple notified the EU regulator of the plan in June.2
The disclosure appeared on the European Commission’s website. As a “gatekeeper” under the EU’s Digital Markets Act, Apple must tell the Commission about its acquisitions in the digital sector.12
What kind of deal it is
TechCrunch describes it as a reverse acqui-hire: Apple gets team members and a licence to the technology without buying the company outright.1 No deal value was disclosed.1
Who Huxe is
Huxe was started by developers who earlier worked on the AI-generated podcast features in Google’s NotebookLM.1 Huxe announced on 21 May that it was shutting down, removing its app and deleting user data. “The team is moving on to new things,” the company said.1
What is not known
The filing does not say who received offers, whether they accepted, or what Apple plans to build.1 TechCrunch suggests Apple could want personalised AI audio for its Podcasts app, but Apple has not said so.1
Why it matters
Large technology companies have used licence-and-hire deals to bring in AI teams without full acquisitions. In the EU, the Digital Markets Act means such deals by gatekeepers still have to be reported, which is how this one became public.12
Fact ledger
How labels workQuestions readers ask
Did Apple buy Huxe?
Not outright. The filing describes job offers to some Huxe employees and a non-exclusive licence to Huxe’s technology.
How much did Apple pay?
No value was disclosed.
Why was the deal made public?
Under the EU’s Digital Markets Act, Apple must notify the European Commission of acquisitions in the digital sector.