What you need to know
- The deadline for the U.S. government to object to Microsoft's purchase of Nuance passed on June 1, 2021.
- The $19.7 billion purchase of Nuance was first announced in April 2021.
- A Microsoft spokesperson explained that the deal is undergoing regulatory reviews in other jurisdictions.
Microsoft's purchase of Nuance got over a major hurdle earlier this month, though it still has some steps to clear before it goes through. As highlighted by Yahoo, a Nuance filing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday, June 4, 2021 states that the deadline for the U.S. government to object to the deal passed on June 1, 2021.
A Microsoft spokesperson told Yahoo that the deal is still undergoing regulatory reviews in other jurisdictions.
Microsoft announced a $19.7 billion purchase of AI and speech technology company Nuance on April 12, 2021. The deal is one of Microsoft's largest acquisitions to date, though it trails behind the blockbuster purchase of LinkedIn for $26.2 billion. Nuance is known by many as the company that helped make Apple's Siri, but its voice technology is used in a number of ways, including within the medical industry.
Microsoft has worked with Nuance since 2019 and collaborated to help doctors capture medical information from patients during care. By bringing the Nuance team into Microsoft, the technology can be rolled out across professional industries, especially medical fields.
In the announcement of the purchase of Nuance, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said:
Together, with our partner ecosystem, we will put advanced AI solutions into the hands of professionals everywhere to drive better decision-making and create more meaningful connections, as we accelerate growth of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare and Nuance.
The deal's value of $19.7 billion includes Nuance's debts, which is why there's a discrepancy across some outlets when reporting the value of the deal. Microsoft expects the deal to close by the end of 2021.
Following the initial announcement, we spoke with industry professionals regarding the purchase of Nuance.
