Apple executives are talking about buying Perplexity AI, a growing AI search startup worth $14 billion. Key Apple leaders Adrian Perica and Eddy Cue are involved in these early discussions.
These talks might not lead to a deal. Apple hasn’t approached Perplexity with an offer yet.
Apple wants Perplexity for two main reasons. First, Apple needs better AI technology. Second, Apple might lose its deal with Google.
Right now, Google pays Apple about $20 billion yearly to be the default search engine in Safari. This deal is being questioned in an antitrust case. If regulators end this deal, Apple would need a new search option.
Perplexity works differently than Google. Instead of showing links, it gives direct answers with sources. The company is growing fast, handling 780 million queries in May.
Other tech giants are interested in Perplexity too. Meta (owner of Facebook) tried to buy the company earlier this year but failed. Meta later bought a 49% stake in Scale AI for $14.3 billion instead.
Samsung is also talking with Perplexity about putting its technology in Samsung devices. This could make things harder for Apple’s plans.
Perplexity says it doesn’t know about any buyout talks. A spokesperson stated, “We have no knowledge of any current or future M&A discussions involving Perplexity.” But they added that top device makers want “the best search and most accurate AI for their users, and that’s Perplexity.”
Perplexity is planning to launch its own web browser called “Comet,” showing its ambitions go beyond just search.
Similar post
If Apple buys Perplexity, it would be Apple’s biggest purchase ever. Their previous largest buy was Beats for $3 billion in 2014.
Apple is also considering just partnering with Perplexity instead of buying it. This might mean adding Perplexity as a search option in Safari and connecting it with Siri.
Eddy Cue has shown interest in Perplexity before. During the Google antitrust trial in May, he said, “We’ve been pretty impressed with what Perplexity has done, so we’ve started some discussions with them about what they’re doing.”
Apple has been behind in AI development. The company recently delayed improving Siri, which was supposed to be a key part of its new Apple Intelligence system. Apple even changed leadership, with Mike Rockwell taking over Siri upgrades from John Giannandrea. Buying Perplexity could help fix these problems.
For everyday phone users, an Apple-Perplexity team-up could mean getting better, faster answers when searching for information. It could also make Siri smarter and more helpful with daily tasks.
The race for AI technology is heating up among big tech companies. Google, Microsoft, and Meta are all spending billions to lead in this growing field.
