Tech giants Apple and Meta are reportedly exploring the acquisition of Perplexity AI, a fast-growing startup that’s reshaping AI-powered search. This move highlights the increasing urgency among major players to strengthen their AI strategies, and Perplexity may hold the key.
What Is Perplexity AI and Why It’s Gaining Attention
Founded in 2022, Perplexity AI has built a reputation for offering a conversational, AI-driven search engine experience. Unlike traditional search engines, Perplexity responds to user queries with verified sources and supports multimodal input, including text, voice, and images. Its growing popularity—reaching 15 million users by mid-2024—positions it as a serious challenger to Google’s search dominance.
While initial skepticism labeled Perplexity a simple “AI wrapper,” it has evolved significantly with its large language model (LLM), Sonar, and user-centric design. This success has caught the attention of companies looking for the next big leap in AI innovation.
Apple’s Motivation: Filling the AI Gap
Apple, long praised for its hardware and ecosystem, has lagged in the AI space, particularly with Siri. Despite recent updates under “Apple Intelligence,” the company’s WWDC 2025 event left many unimpressed with its AI capabilities.
To accelerate its progress, Apple has partnered with OpenAI, but owning a platform like Perplexity would offer more control. The startup’s modular architecture could help Apple build a standalone AI search engine, possibly reducing reliance on Google, which currently pays billions to be the default search provider on iPhones.
Perplexity also aligns with Apple’s privacy-first philosophy. With a clean UI and transparent sourcing, Perplexity fits the aesthetic and ethical standards Apple values. However, acquiring a growing player like Perplexity could raise regulatory concerns, especially given the ongoing scrutiny of Apple’s App Store practices.
Meta’s Push: Fast-Tracking AI Development
Unlike Apple, Meta has taken a more aggressive approach to building its AI ecosystem. Despite releasing Llama 4, the reception has been lukewarm, and Meta is eager to close the gap with rivals like OpenAI and Google.
Perplexity offers Meta an instant upgrade—its real-time search, natural conversation interface, and strong engineering team could bolster Meta’s existing AI assistant, which already reaches over a billion users through apps like WhatsApp and Instagram.
Meta’s urgency is reflected in recent moves: it invested $14.3 billion in Scale AI and is reportedly offering huge bonuses to lure top AI talent from OpenAI. For a company that has bought its way into market leadership before—think Instagram and WhatsApp—acquiring Perplexity is consistent with its bold strategy.
What’s at Stake
The race to acquire Perplexity underscores a broader trend: Big Tech is betting on AI-powered search as the next frontier. With consumer trust in traditional search engines declining, platforms like Perplexity represent a new way forward—conversational, source-based, and privacy-aware.
Whether Apple seeks tighter AI integration and independence from Google or Meta needs a faster route to AI relevance, Perplexity AI is emerging as a valuable strategic asset.
In the fast-evolving world of artificial intelligence, Perplexity’s innovation and momentum make it a startup to watch—and potentially, the next billion-dollar acquisition that reshapes how we search online.
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