Microsoft announced that it has acquired Lobe, an AI startup that helps developers make deep-learning models without coding. Lobe, a platform that can understand hand gestures, read handwriting, and hear music, will continue to develop as a standalone service. Lobe was founded in 2015 by Mike Matas, Adam Menges, and Markus Beissinger in order to make deep learning accessible to everyone.

According to according to t’s he Microsoftblog (link). :

Lobe’s simple visual interface lets people easily create intelligent apps that can understand hand gestures, hear music, read handwriting, and more.
Technology has already transformed the world we live in. Computers are ubiquitous, from the machines on our desks to the devices in our pockets and in our homes. Now, breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning are helping scientists treat cancer more effectively, farmers figure out how to grow more food using fewer natural resources, and give people from different countries the ability to communicate across language barriers.

In many ways though, we’re only just beginning to tap into the full potential AI can provide. This in large part is because AI development and building deep learning models are slow and complex processes even for experienced data scientists and developers. To date, many people have been at a disadvantage when it comes to accessing AI, and we’re committed to changing that.

Over the last few months, we’ve made multiple investments in companies to further this goal. The acquisition of Semantic Machines in May brought in a revolutionary new approach to conversational AI, and the acquisition of Bonsai in July will help reduce the barriers to AI development through the Bonsai team’s unique work combining machine teaching, reinforcement learning and simulation. These are just two recent examples of investments we have made to help us accelerate the current state of AI development.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.