Zoom acquires Kites for real-time language translation capabilities
Kites specialises in artificial intelligence (AI) speech translation.
Credit: Zoom
Video conferencing platform vendor Zoom has acquired German start-up Karlsruhe Information Technology Solutions – known as Kites – in a bid to imbue its offering with real-time language translation capabilities.
Founded in 2015 by Alex Waibel and Sebastian Stüker – both faculty members at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology – Kites specialises in artificial intelligence (AI) speech translation. The commercial application of the Kites real-time translation platform has, until now, been largely used for academic lecture and government purposes.
“Kites emerged with the mission of breaking down language barriers and making seamless cross-language interaction a reality of everyday life, and we have long admired Zoom for its ability to easily connect people across the world,” said Waibel and Stüker in a joint statement.