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Google acquires two start-ups, boosting AI and video ads

by Mark Tyson on 7 August 2014, 13:15

Tags: Google (NASDAQ:GOOG)

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Internet search giant Google has just acquired two start-ups; the mobile messaging app Emu, and video marketing start-up Directr. These purchases are an effort to boost its mobile AI and advertising potential, reports Bloomberg.

Emu texting assistant app

First off, Emu is an IM client with an AI assistant which can integrate with other smartphone services, providing functions similar to voice assistants like Apple's Siri and Google Now. The service differentiated itself from other messaging apps in its analysis of your conversations and suggestions of things that you may be interested in. It can also help you schedule appointments, share locations or look up restaurant and movie info directly from your conversations.

The app only came out of beta earlier this year, but will disappear from the app stores from 25th Aug as a result of Google's acquisition, according to its website. Anyone with the app installed might as well remove it after that date as it will stop working. The start-up has previously raised $1.5 million from venture capitals including KPCB, Kleiner Perkins, DFJ, and Menlo Ventures, among others.

Though the application is still a fair distance from Scarlett Johannson's character Samantha in 2013's Oscar and Golden Globe winning film Her, it is fairly easy to see Google's intention in acquiring the company. We might see Emu's AI assistant built into Google Hangouts, the company's central messaging platform, in the near future, along with other mobile services. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

YouTube buys mobile video start-up Directr

Google's YouTube has also announced the acquisition of video service Directr in an attempt to boost advertising for small businesses. The start-up focuses on helping small businesses create and publish promotional videos with its easy to use mobile app, currently available for iOS devices.

Announcing the deal, the company say that it will integrate into YouTube's video ads division and will be offering all versions of the app for free once the deal completes. The tool will likely be added to Google's business site to help with internet video ad creation.

"Our small band of scrappy film lovers set out 2 years ago to help regular folks make great video. Today, we are incredibly excited to take the next step on that journey and announce that we are joining the video ads team at YouTube," a Directr representative wrote in a blog post. "For now, everything you love about Directr is staying the same and we’ll continue to focus on helping businesses create great video quickly and easily. One immediate bonus: Directr will soon be all free, all the time. Thanks, YouTube!"



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