Uber Technologies Inc. is nearing a deal to buy Foresight AI Inc., a Silicon Valley, Calif.-based startup that specializes in artificial intelligence and robotics, The Information reported Dec. 9, citing a person who has reportedly worked at Uber and has direct knowledge of the pending deal.
If confirmed, the potential deal would boost Uber's robo-taxi development efforts and would mark the company's second acquisition in 2019 following its purchase of Mighty AI Inc. in June, the report said. It was The Information that first reported about Uber's plans to buy Seattle-based Mighty AI at the time.
Uber did not immediately respond to S&P Global Market Intelligence's request for comment about the potential Foresight deal, while Foresight CEO Chang Yuan reportedly told The Information that he had "no comment beyond what’s on our website."
Foresight raised $3.4 million in seed funding in 2018, according to the report. The news outlet said the startup had about a dozen employees as of summer, including three who previously worked in Apple Inc.'s self-driving car effort.