---
title: "Apple discloses deal to hire team and license technology from AI podcast start-up Huxe"
url: https://anawords.com/story/apple-huxe-ai-podcast-team-licence-eu-filing
published: 2026-10-12T12:49:35+05:30
updated: 2026-10-12T12:49:35+05:30
section: Business & Funding
author: Mayank Sahu
checked: sources checked by AI, approved by editor
version: 1
---

# 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.

**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.[^1][^2]

## 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.[^1][^2]

## Fact ledger

- [Reported] Apple will make job offers to some Huxe employees and take a non-exclusive licence to its IP. (source 1,2)
- [Reported] Apple notified the European Commission of the deal in June 2026. (source 1,2)
- [Unconfirmed] Huxe announced on 21 May that it was shutting down. (source 1)
- [Reported] No deal value was disclosed. (source 1,2)
- [Not known] What Apple plans to build with the team or technology.

## Sources

1. [TechCrunch: Apple discloses deal to hire team and license tech from Huxe](https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/10/apple-discloses-deal-to-hire-team-and-license-tech-from-personalized-podcast-startup-huxe/)
2. [MLex: Apple notified EU regulator in June of plan to buy Huxe](https://www.mlex.com/mlex/articles/2536103)