Sept 26 (Reuters) - Visa has agreed to buy

AI-focused Featurespace, which develops enterprise technology

preventing fraud and financial crime, for an undisclosed amount,

it said on Thursday.

Top tech companies are racing to build artificial

intelligence into their products and services, leading to

surging demand for AI chips, services and machine learning

technology.

Visa said Featurespace's AI-enabled solutions will help its

clients manage fraud in real time and protect its payment

ecosystem.

While the world's largest payments processor did not reveal

the value of the acquisition, a Sky News report last month cited

sources pegging it close to £700 million ($935.06 million).

Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Cambridge, UK,

Featurespace has over 400 team members, operating globally from

six locations. Its customers include leading payments and

banking companies such as HSBC ( HSBC ), NatWest ( NWG ), and

Worldpay.

($1 = 0.7486 pounds)