Apple Hires the NotebookLM Creators From Huxe. In My Opinion, It Is Strength, Not Weakness

Apple did another quiet AI deal. According to a filing under the EU Digital Markets Act dated June 9, 2026, and reported by 9to5Mac and MacRumors, Apple may hire certain employees of Huxe and gets a non-exclusive license to its intellectual property. Huxe was founded by Raiza Martin, Jason Spielman and Stephen Hughes, the people who built NotebookLM at Google, the app famous for turning documents into AI podcasts.

When I read about the Apple Huxe deal, I said to myself, finally. Many people will say it is another sign that Apple is lost in AI. I see it the opposite way.

In this article: Apple Huxe deal: what Huxe was and what Apple gets · Weakness? No. In my opinion, this is strength · Siri depends on Google? For now · An AI podcast about my day? Yes, I want it · Is the acqui-hire fair? · Why Apple keeps it quiet · When will we see it? · My question for Tim Cook and John Ternus · FAQ

Apple Huxe deal: what Huxe was and what Apple gets

Huxe was an app that made a personal AI podcast from your email, your calendar and the topics you follow. Two AI voices talked to you about your day. It launched in June 2025, opened to everyone in September 2025, raised $4.6 million, and shut down on May 28, 2026.

Apple did not buy the company. According to the EU filing, Apple can hire certain Huxe people and gets a non-exclusive license to the technology. In the industry, they call it an acqui-hire. And by the count of several sites, it is at least Apple’s fourth AI deal this year.

Weakness? No. In my opinion, this is strength

I have to be honest, when I read the comments, everybody says Apple is lost, Apple is weak, Apple has to buy people because it cannot do it alone. I see it completely the other way. This is strength, not weakness.

Apple finally admitted that it is behind in AI. And what does it do? It hires the best people. These are the people who built NotebookLM at Google. You cannot find that on the street. A weak company would pretend that everything is fine. Apple thinks with its head, admits the mistake, and fixes it. Four AI deals in one year? That is not panic. That is a plan.

Siri depends on Google? For now

Yes, the new Siri now works with Google’s Gemini. People write that Apple is dependent on Google. But wait. Who pays whom? Apple pays Google, and in my opinion, nice money. So Apple is the customer. And a customer can leave whenever he wants. Tomorrow it can be Anthropic, the day after tomorrow OpenAI. And everything these new people create inside Apple, the patents, the know-how, will be Apple’s.

I tested the new Siri, and I was not happy at all, you can read it in my Siri app review. But that is exactly why I am glad. In my opinion, a team like this can help Siri become number one in one or two years. I am rooting for Apple. I really want it to work.

An AI podcast about my day? Yes, I want it

On MacRumors, a lot of people wrote that they do not want any AI podcasts and that AI voices sound fake. I do not agree. Imagine this. You are making breakfast, and the HomePod tells you: your dentist sent you an email, he wants to move your appointment. You answer by voice, the reply goes out, and the new date is in your calendar. You did not even touch the phone. For me, that is very attractive.

And the voices? Come on. Today, AI voices are almost human. Two years ago, it sounded like a robot. Today, many times you cannot tell the difference. Put this into a HomePod or into the new home hub that Apple may show at the Welcome Home event, and suddenly it all makes sense.

Is the acqui-hire fair?

The FTC, led by Andrew Ferguson, is now looking more closely at acqui-hires, because big companies take the people and do not buy the company. Some say it is unfair to the investors.

In my opinion, it is the free choice of the talents. Nobody forced them. Nobody dragged them to Cupertino. They decided themselves where they want to work. If Apple gives them a better offer and a bigger stage, that is their right. And complaining about it later? In my opinion, that is just arrogant.

Why Apple keeps it quiet

Apple did not announce anything. We found out from a filing. Some people already see a conspiracy in it. I do not. In my opinion, it is normal business. This is not a show for speculators. Apple talks when it has a product, not when it signs a contract.

And it is not the first time Apple fights for AI people. Read my article on Apple vs OpenAI and trade secrets.

When will we see it?

In my opinion, 8 to 12 months. iOS 28. The people need time to settle in, and Apple will want to test it properly, because after the Siri AI beta, they cannot afford another embarrassment. An AI briefing about your day fits perfectly into iPhone, AirPods and HomePod. And OpenAI is not waiting, see GPT-6 and ChatGPT’s intelligent UI. So Apple has no time to sleep.

My question for Tim Cook and John Ternus

If I could ask Tim Cook or John Ternus one question, it would be this: why did you not start with AI earlier, when the whole world was already using it? What were you waiting for? And why is Siri AI still in beta after two years?

I still believe in Apple. But hiring is not enough, Apple has to show results. Instead of things like the iPhone Duo greeting, I want a Siri that simply works.

Featured photo: Dennis Brendel via Unsplash

Apple and Huxe: FAQ

What is Huxe?

Huxe was an AI app that turned your email, calendar and interests into a personalized audio briefing, like a podcast about your day. It shut down on May 28, 2026.

Who founded Huxe?

Raiza Martin, Jason Spielman and Stephen Hughes, who previously built NotebookLM at Google.

Did Apple buy Huxe?

According to an EU Digital Markets Act filing, Apple may hire certain Huxe employees and gets a non-exclusive license to its intellectual property. Apple has not announced the deal.

Why does it matter for Siri?

The Huxe team has experience with AI audio and personal briefings, which could help Siri, AirPods and HomePod deliver spoken summaries of your day.

When could we see Huxe technology in Apple products?

Apple has not said. In my opinion, iOS 28, roughly 8 to 12 months from now, is realistic.

Sources: 9to5Mac, MacRumors, Notebookcheck, Heise, The Mac Observer, Dealroom.

Our Take

Apple is behind in AI, and finally it admits it. Hiring the people who built NotebookLM is, in my opinion, strength, not panic.

An AI briefing about my day on the HomePod while I make breakfast? I want it.

But hiring is not enough. Apple, show us results in iOS 28. I am rooting for you.